Connect

Benefits Open Enrollment for plan year 2026 begins today, October 6, and runs through next Friday, October 17. Choosing the right health plan option and appropriate benefit savings account is very important, so we offer you a variety of options for customizing your benefits to meet your unique needs. View plan changes and premiums on the Open Enrollment website before using the Open Enrollment event in Workday to select your benefits for 2026. Act now! 

Action Items
Here's what you can do this week

1. Attend the in-person Benefits & Well-Being Expo:

• Oct. 7, 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.: University Medical Center, Education Resource Center
• Oct. 8, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.: UVA Newcomb Hall, 3rd Floor Ballroom
• Oct. 9, 10:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.: University Medical Center, Cafeteria

2. Visit a benefits counselor in person if you still have questions:

• Oct. 6, 9, 13, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. walk-in sessions at Old Ivy Building, 2420 Old Ivy Road, 3^rd Floor, Collab Space E; no registration required
• Oct. 15, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. walk-in sessions at University Medical Center DCR 3; no registration required

3. Register to attend the final financial webinars:

• Oct. 8: Exploring the Benefits of an HSA
  • Register for 10 a.m. webinar
  • Register for 8 p.m. webinar
• Oct. 13: Staying Safe Online: Avoiding Cybersecurity Threats and Fraud
  • Register for 10 a.m. webinar
  • Register for 2 p.m. webinar

4. Review Resources on the Open Enrollment Website

• All changes, action items, Workday instructions, and FAQs are listed on the Open Enrollment home webpage.
• Premiums and health plan option details are on the Health Plan webpage.
• Schedules of Benefits and Comparison of Benefits are on every page’s sidebar.
• Short educational videos are on the Resources webpage, including the updated Open Enrollment overview video and new videos on specific benefits topics.

5. Elect Your Benefits in Workday

• See the How to Elect Benefits in Workday webpage for instructions.
• Elect Your Benefits
  • Health Plan Options: Health Savings, UVA PPO, Choice Health, J Visa Health (for J visa employees only), Wage (for wage employees)
  • Dental Plan Options: Basic Dental, Enhanced Dental (depending on your employee type)
  • Vision Plan Options: Davis Vision (optional)
  • HSA: Your 2025 elections for HSA WILL automatically carry over to 2026. Update the contribution amount at any time. Visit the Health Savings Account webpage for more information.
  • FSA: Your 2025 elections for FSA will NOT automatically carry over to 2026. You must elect a new FSA if this is a benefit you want to use in 2026. Visit the Flexible Spending Account webpage for more information.
  • Retirement: Review cash match options and contribution limits.
  • Life Insurance: 
    • ORP/MCRP participants, change supplemental life insurance options, if eligible, without proof of insurability. Visit the Life Insurance webpage to learn more.
• Manage Your Account in Workday
  • Add or drop dependents. 
    • If you’re adding dependents or adding new coverage for an existing dependent in 2026, you must provide dependent required documentation. You will not be able to submit your benefits elections without the required documentation.
    • If you moved from one health plan option to another for 2026, don’t forget to add your dependents to your new health plan option. 
  • Add or change a beneficiary. ORP/MCRP participants, make changes through Workday. VRS participants, make changes through VRS's online portal.
  • Confirm your home address and phone number.
  • Check your Workday Inbox for additional items to complete after you submit your Open Enrollment elections.
• Print, or Save as a PDF, your Open Enrollment elections after you press the SUBMIT button.

6. Don’t forget to take the Post-Open Enrollment Survey

• Find a link to the survey in the confirmation message after you submit elections, or in your Benefits and Pay Hub in Workday.
• The survey will ask you about your Open Enrollment experience and what changes you’d like to see. 
• This is your chance to make a real impact—take the survey and let your voice be heard!

Universal Availability Notice

We are required to provide you with an annual Universal Availability Notice about your eligibility to contribute to a 403(b) savings program. Find out more about your retirement options on the Retirement webpage.

We Hear You. How Can We Help?

After reviewing materials and resources on the Open Enrollment website, if you would like additional 1:1 personalized assistance, there are several options to receive support:

• In Person: 
  • Oct. 6, 9, and 13: Drop by Old Ivy Hall (2420 Old Ivy Rd. in Charlottesville) anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for personalized assistance (3rd floor, Collab Space E). 
  • Oct. 15: Drop by the Dining Conference Rooms within the University Medical Center anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for personalized assistance.
• Virtual:
  • Email AskHR@virginia.edu or call 434.243.3344 to schedule a ZOOM appointment to review more complex Open Enrollment questions with an HR professional. HR will accommodate as many appointments as possible through Tuesday, Oct. 14.
• Multi-Lingual: 
  • Aetna’s A1A service offers live interpreters in multiple languages. Call 800.987.9072 and say “translator” or “interpreter.”
  • All pages are now translatable to 100+ languages using the Google Translate option in the footer of every page.

We are here to help you!