Office of Human Resources

Medical Coverage

• Our health plan costs are increasing by about 20% for 2026 to cover rising claims. However, Brandeis is limiting the increase for you — the members — to just 10% across all plans and tiers, with the university absorbing the rest to help keep coverage affordable.
  
  • For more factors that contribute to increase, please visit Understanding your Medical Coverage.
• Rates:
  • 2026 Semi-Monthly Rates | Semi-Monthly Rates (pdf)
  • 2026 Weekly Rates  | 2026 Weekly Rates (pdf)

• 2026 All Plans Comparison
• 2026 Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC):
  • Best Buy HSA HMO (pdf) | Best Buy HMO (pdf) | HMO (pdf) | PPO (pdf)
• 2026 Schedule of Benefits (SOB):
  • Best Buy HSA HMO(pdf) | Best Buy HMO (pdf) | HMO (pdf) | PPO (pdf)
• Plan Design Changes:
  • Best Buy HSA/HMO (HDHP) deductibles will increase from $1,650 individual/$3,300 family  to $2,000 individual/$4,000 family. The out-of-pocket max is increasing from $2,500 individual/$5,000 family to $4,000 individual/$8,000 family.  Copay changes for office visits after deductible is met $30 for level 1 (PCPs) and $50 for level II (specialists).   Co-pays added  after deductible for Chiropractor, Acupuncture and Short Term Rehabilitation Therapy.
  • Best Buy HMO deductibles will increase from $500 individual/$1,000 family to $1,000 individual/$2,000 family. The out-of-pocket max is increasing from $2,500 individual/$5,000 family to  $5,000 individual/ $10,00 family. The copays for hospital admission and day surgery removed covered in full after deductible. 
    • If you are enrolled in the Best Buy HSA HMO or Best Buy HMO plan and keeping the same plan, you will receive a new ID card due to plan design changes.
  • NO plan design changes to standard HMO or PPO plans.

Pharmacy Changes- OptumRx

• Increase to copays for Tier II- Preferred Brand and Tier III Non-Preferred Brands for Retail, Mail Order, and Specialty.

Change Highlights

• Best Buy HSA HMO
• Best Buy HMO
• Pharmacy

We are pleased to report that there will be no plan design or rate changes to the dental or supplemental vision plans.

Dental Coverage

• Weekly rates | Semi-monthly rates

• Weekly rates  | Semi-monthly rates

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA)

• The Dependent Care FSA annual plan maximum in increasing! This is the first significant change since the early 2000's.  The new max is $7,500 per individual or $3,750 each if filing jointly.
• Dependent care will continue with the grace period into the 2026 plan year.  You have until March 15, 2026 to incur expenses for 2025 contributions.

Health Care Flexible and Limited Purpose Spending Accounts (HCFSA & LPFSA)

• The annual limit on employee contributions to a Health Care and Limited Purpose FSA will be $3,400 for plan year beginning in 2026 (up from $3,300 in 2025).
  • Carryover from 2025 to 2026: For plan years beginning in 2025, the maximum allowable carryover is $660.
  • Carryover from 2026 to 2027: For plan years beginning in 2026, the maximum allowable carryover increases to $680.
• Please Note:  Keep in mind if you are enrolling in an HSA plan for 2026 you must spend down your balance by the end of the year.  You or your spouse cannot have any unreimbursed HCFSA funds on 12/31/2025 and contribute to an HSA on 1/1/2026.

Limited Purpose FSA

Compliment option for those enrolled/enrolling in a High Deductible Health plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). A Limited Purpose FSA (LPFSA) allows employees to pay for eligible dental and vision expenses exclusively.   You can pair an HSA and an LPFSA thus increasing your tax savings potential while also allowing you to save and invest more in your HSA. 

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules clarify that you cannot contribute to a HSA and a HCFSA in the same plan year. 
• HCFSA, LPFSA, DCFSA and Commuter Benefits Explained (video) 
• HCFSA vs LPFSA vs DCFSA overview

Action Required: If you wish to renew a health care, limited purpose or dependent care  FSA accounts for 2026, you must make an active election though your Workday Open Enrollment Task.

• Due to the pre-tax nature of these programs, IRS regulations require that an active election be made each year.  Flexible spending accounts do not renew automatically. 
• Once open enrollment closes you may not make changes to the amount.  You may be able to enroll for the first time or drop coverage with a qualifying event. 

Health Savings Account HSA for use with a High Deductible Health Plan HDHP. 

• Fidelity Learning Center - What is an HSA?
• 2026 Contribution Limits
  • $4,400 individual / $8,750 family per IRS mandated limits.
  • $500 Brandeis Employer Contribution January 2026 - (part of your total contribution)
  • Age 55+ may elect an additional $1,000 in catch-up contributions
• Must re-elect contribution amount for open enrollment.
  • May change amount at anytime during the year.
• HSA contributions are tax free every step of the way: when you put money in, as it potentially grows, and when you take it out to pay for qualified medical expenses.
• Pair with Limited Purpose FSA for maximum savings.
• HSA vs FSA overview

Reminder: If you or your spouse are enrolling in a HDHP/HSA plan for 2026; neither you nor your spouse can be enrolled or have unreimbursed funds in the HCFSA (as of 1/1/2026).  You may enroll in an LPFSA for eligible dental and vision expenses for 1/1/2026 with an HSA.

• You are not claimed as a dependent on anyone else’s tax return, and
• You are not enrolled in any Parts of  Medicare 

As a reminder, this is also your opportunity to enroll in or change supplemental life insurance for 2026.  Evidence of insurability (EOI) required. 

• Employee Life Insurance Benefit
• Spouse Supplemental Life Insurance Rates
• Child Life Insurance Rates

In-Plan Roth Conversion and After-Tax Contributions

• You may convert pre-tax or after-tax balances to Roth within the Brandeis 403(b).
• A new after-tax source is being added, in addition to Pre-Tax and Roth sources.

Secure 2.0 Roth Catch-Up Rule (effective 2026):

• Employees age 50 or older may continue to make catch up contributions to the 403(b). 
• Under Secure 2.0 Act, these catch-up contributions must be made as Roth (after-tax) if your prior year wages from Brandeis exceed $145,000.

Commuter Benefit

• The 2026 commuter benefits limit for mass transit and/or parking is $340 per month.