Open Enrollment 2026 Begins Oct. 6

Benefit-eligible George Washington University faculty and staff will have the opportunity to add, remove or change benefit elections during the annual Open Enrollment period, opening this year on Oct. 6 and closing at 8 p.m. (EDT) Oct. 24. Most changes will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. Below is a summary of the changes to the 2026 benefits program offerings, including the administrative vendor change and contribution changes. Additional details are available in the 2026 Benefits Overview.

Vendor Change: Aetna as GW's Medical Plan Administrator

As announced, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, GW will partner with Aetna as the new administrator of GW's medical plans. This means Aetna will take over administration of the medical plan offerings, GW PPO and GW Health Savings Plan (GW HSP), replacing the current provider, UnitedHealthcare. Prescription drug coverage will continue to be provided through CVS Caremark.

There will be no changes to the medical plan designs or lapse in coverage. Only the administrator is changing. The structure of the plans, including coverage levels, coinsurance and copays, remains the same. The provider network, service experience and support tools will transition to be managed by Aetna.

As part of the transition to Aetna, employees can expect several enhancements designed to improve the overall healthcare experience and make it easier to access care, navigate benefits and receive personalized support while maintaining quality coverage.

• Enhanced Member Support: Dedicated customer service line for GW employees, offering personalized assistance.
• Improved Digital Tools: Access to Aetna's enhanced member portal and mobile app for easier navigation of benefits, claims and provider searches.
• Expanded Provider Network: Broad national network that maintains access to most current providers while offering additional in-network options.
• Simplified Navigation: Streamlined coordination for claims, referrals and pre-authorizations.
• Focused Health Resources and Communications: Access to timely wellness communications and care management programs tailored to chronic conditions, preventive care and mental health support.

For more information, please join the upcoming webinar with Aetna on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m.

2026 Health Plan Contribution Updates

Employee contributions for faculty and staff medical plans will increase by 6.5% in 2026 across all salary bands and plans. Approximately 65% of full-time medical plan participants will see an increase of less than $20 per month. The monthly employee contribution increase will range from approximately $3 to $61, depending on coverage level and salary band. As noted above, there will be no changes in plan design, such as deductibles, copays or coinsurance.

GW's commitment and shared responsibility: While medical and prescription costs continue to rise, the university remains committed to offering health benefits that deliver competitive coverage and cost sharing. Plan costs have increased over the past two years at higher levels than GW has seen in many years. During this time, the university has worked to mitigate increases in employee contributions. Changes for 2026, including moving medical plan administration from UnitedHealthcare to Aetna, have allowed GW to maintain the portion of plan cost paid it pays and still mitigate increases in employee contributions. In 2026, GW will share about 79% of the medical plan cost on average, with employees sharing an average of 21%. (Percentages are rounded and reference averages based on all salary bands, medical plans, and tiers of coverage.)

GW expects continued upward pressure on the cost of medical plans. It is important to remember the university community plays a part in helping control costs. Medical plans are self-insured, which means the university pays the claims. Aetna will process the claims from health providers for GW faculty and staff and their covered dependents. Premiums for the medical plans are based on claims experience. High volume and/or high-cost claims in a year have a direct impact on the premiums GW pays in the following year. The community can help. Having regular wellness visits and timely screenings, using in-network providers and thoughtfully considering care generally incur less in claims cost, which directly impacts next year's premiums.

Dental contributions will increase for all three dental plan options and all coverage tiers. Employee monthly contributions will increase between $1 and $2 for the DMO, varying by coverage tier. The Low PPO monthly increases will range from less than $3 to about $7, while increases to the High PPO dental option will range from about $4 to less than $11 per month, all depending on coverage tier. The DMO, High PPO and Low PPO plans continue to be offered through Aetna, and there will be no coverage or plan design changes for 2026.

Vision contributions for participating faculty and staff will not increase in 2026. The Basic and Enhanced vision plans will continue to be offered through UnitedHealthcare, and there will be no changes in coverage or plan design. No card is needed to receive coverage, but participants do have the option to download one from myuhcvision.com if they would prefer.

Open Enrollment In-Person & Virtual Events

The annual in-person festsheld during October will allow Faculty and Staff the opportunity to meet with GW's benefits vendor partners, ask questions, receive assistance with the enrollment process and participate in activities. The activities will differ among each Fest and may include complimentary vision screenings, vaccine clinics, the Human Resource Management & Development's Fall Social, massages, fitness classes and more.

This year also offers a Benefits Enrollment Support Drop-In on Oct. 23. This event is a smaller one-stop opportunity designed to help faculty and staff make informed decisions about benefits tied to the Open Enrollment period. At this event, visitors can explore benefit options, ask questions, get personalized guidance from the GW benefits team and applicable GW vendor partners and complete enrollment onsite.

Throughout Open Enrollment, virtual webinars led by GW's vendor partners will provide details about the 2026 benefit programs. In addition, Aetna will hold 1:1 appointments during Open Enrollment, providing opportunities to get personalized support.

View the Open Enrollment Events Calendar for in-person event details and to register for webinars and 1:1 appointments.

Flu and COVID Vaccine Clinics

In partnership with GW Medical Faculty Associates (MFA), flu and COVID vaccine clinics will be held at the Foggy Bottom Campus and VSTC in October, including on the open enrollment fest dates. Those who wish to receive their vaccine(s) at one of the clinics are strongly encouraged to register in advance. Insurance information will be collected during the registration process. GW employees enrolled in a GW medical plan should have a UHC ID card available when registering. For more details, visit GW Flu and COVID Vaccines Services.

Employees covered by a GW medical plan can also visit area pharmacies and convenience care clinics to receive a flu shot and a COVID shot at no cost. If visiting one of these, please present your CVS Caremark ID card.

Support Is Available

For information about other benefits and programs available to you, including retirement, tuition and well-being, please visit the benefits website.

Questions regarding the enrollment process, system or any of GW's health and welfare employee benefit plans may be directed to the Benefits Call Center at 833-698-0324 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Faculty and staff can also contact the Benefits Office via email at benefitsgwu[dot] edu(benefits[at]gwu[dot]edu)or call the office directly at 571-553-8382, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.