Benefits Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment for the 2026 plan year is from October 1 to 31, 2025.
Please use this time to evaluate your benefit needs and make any changes for the upcoming plan year. Changes will be effective from January 1 to December 31, 2026.
Informational Resources
The following information may assist you as you make decisions this Open Enrollment season:
Please review the appropriate Open Enrollment guide for your employment group:
- 2026 Faculty and Academic Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Support Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Open Enrollment Benefits Guide for individuals in the following groups: (link available September 9) Cash-for-Life, COBRA, Long-term Disability, One Year Paid Medical, Postdoctoral Fellows, Unpaid Leave of Absence (including Layoff), and Workers’ Compensation.
Important Highlights:
- Increase to premium threshold for spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) health coverage: To enroll your spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) in MSU coverage, your spouse/OEI must enroll in health care coverage through their own current or former employer if the annual employee premium cost for single-person coverage is $1,850 or less. You may still cover your spouse/OEI on your MSU health coverage as a secondary plan. Please review the Open Enrollment FAQs for more information.
- Spouse/OEI affidavit no longer required: You no longer need to complete the spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) affidavit in the EBS Portal to continue coverage for your spouse/OEI. If you currently cover a spouse/OEI on your health care plan, their coverage will automatically continue in 2026 without any action. However, the spouse/OEI premium threshold requirement still applies. Please read the previous requirement (Increase to Premium Threshold for Spouse/OEI Health Coverage) about the premium threshold increase.
Review page 6 in the appropriate Open Enrollment guide to see all new updates or important reminders for your 2026 plan year benefits coverage.
- 2026 Faculty and Academic Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Support Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Open Enrollment Benefits Guide for individuals in the following groups: (link available September 9) Cash-for-Life, COBRA, Long-term Disability, One Year Paid Medical, Postdoctoral Fellows, Unpaid Leave of Absence (including Layoff), and Workers’ Compensation.
Visit the Open Enrollment FAQ page to find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Open Enrollment.
Visit the Voluntary Benefits FAQ page to find answers to the most frequently asked questions about voluntary benefits, such as accident, critical illness, legal, and vision insurance.
- Disclosure about the Benefit Enrollment Communications
- Mid-year election changes to pre-tax benefits
- HIPAA Special Enrollment Rights Notice
- Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) Notice
- Newborns' and Mothers' Health Protection Act (WHCRA) Notice
- Notice of Patient Protections
- HIPAA Notice of Availability of Notice of Privacy Practices
- Contact Information for MSU Health and Dental Plans
- Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Your Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare
The following emails regarding the 2026 plan year Open Enrollment period were sent between September 16 and October 31, 2025. Please note that some emails were sent to target audiences.
- This list will be updated as emails are sent.
Enrollment Instructions and Assistance Opportunities
Please enroll in your benefits options for the 2026 plan year between October 1 and 31, 2025.
The Enrollment Instructions and Video webpage provides detailed instructions to enroll in health, dental, life, accident, and flexible spending account plans.
Please note: you may only enroll in, change, or cancel voluntary accident, critical illness, legal, and vision insurance during the Open Enrollment period in October. View enrollment instructions for voluntary benefits.
Please review the Add a Family Member or Dependent Tutorial webpage.
We're offering an in-person Benefits Fair on October 21 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Breslin Student Events Center. Find more details on the MSU Benefits Fair webpage , including information on how to make a flu shot appointment with the MSU Health Care Pharmacy.
Consider participating in an HR Site Lab to ask questions or receive assistance with enrollment from HR staff. In-person and virtual site lab options are available. Find more details on the HR Site Labs webpage.
October 8 | [insert times here] |Virtual
October 10 | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | In-person
MSU Union, 49 Abbot Road, Room UB55, East Lansing, MI 48824
October 13 | [insert times here] |Virtual
October 17 | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | In-person
International Center, 427 N. Shaw Lane, Spartan Rooms B and C, East Lansing, MI 48823
October 23 | [insert times here] |Virtual
October 31 | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. | In-person
HR Building, 1407 S. Harrison Rd, Room 125, East Lansing, MI 48823
The Online Benefit Provider Resources webpage offers a variety of resources from our MSU benefit providers that you can review online at any time. Resources include brochures, videos, contact information for further questions, and more. This is a great resource if you're unable to attend the in-person Benefits Fair.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are the most common questions we receive during the Open Enrollment period. Find additional answers on the Open Enrollment FAQ webpage.
Important Highlights:
- Increase to premium threshold for spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) health coverage: To enroll your spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) in MSU coverage, your spouse/OEI must enroll in health care coverage through their own current or former employer if the annual employee premium cost for single-person coverage is $1,850 or less. You may still cover your spouse/OEI on your MSU health coverage as a secondary plan. Please review the Open Enrollment FAQs for more information.
- Spouse/OEI affidavit no longer required: You no longer need to complete the spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) affidavit in the EBS Portal to continue coverage for your spouse/OEI. If you currently cover a spouse/OEI on your health care plan, their coverage will automatically continue in 2026 without any action. However, the spouse/OEI premium threshold requirement still applies. Please read the previous requirement (Increase to Premium Threshold for Spouse/OEI Health Coverage) about the premium threshold increase.
Review page 6 in the appropriate Open Enrollment guide to see all new updates or important reminders for your 2026 plan year benefits coverage.
- 2026 Faculty and Academic Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Support Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Open Enrollment Benefits Guide for individuals in the following groups: (link available September 9) Cash-for-Life, COBRA, Long-term Disability, One Year Paid Medical, Postdoctoral Fellows, Unpaid Leave of Absence (including Layoff), and Workers’ Compensation.
Review page 8 in the appropriate Open Enrollment guide to determine if you need to do anything during the Open Enrollment period:
- 2026 Faculty and Academic Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Support Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Open Enrollment Benefits Guide for individuals in the following groups: (link available September 9) Cash-for-Life, COBRA, Long-term Disability, One Year Paid Medical, Postdoctoral Fellows, Unpaid Leave of Absence (including Layoff), and Workers’ Compensation.
Please review the instructions to complete Open Enrollment.
Voluntary benefits—such as accident, critical illness, legal, and vision insurance, among others—are offered through MSU Benefits Plus and are not administered by MSU.
If you are already enrolled in voluntary benefits and wish to continue your coverage, no action is needed. If you want to enroll in, change, or cancel existing coverage, please take action. View enrollment instructions for voluntary benefits.
Please note: you may only enroll in, change, or cancel voluntary accident, critical illness, legal, and vision insurance during the Open Enrollment period in October.
Contact MSU Benefits Plus at 888-758-7575 with any questions.
Voluntary benefits (including VSP vision insurance) are administered directly through MSU Benefits Plus (not MSU) and do not appear on your emailed MSU benefits confirmation statement when you participate in Open Enrollment through the EBS portal.
When you enroll in a voluntary benefits plan through MSU Benefits Plus, you will receive an email confirmation statement directly from MSU Benefits Plus. View enrollment instructions for voluntary benefits.
After you log in to MSU Benefits Plus, click Enrollments to view a summary of your enrollment elections. Click on Deductions to view an itemized list of your voluntary benefit deductions.
Please note: While the premium threshold for a spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) to be enrolled in MSU coverage still applies, the affidavit that most employees are used to submitting via the EBS portal each year is no longer required.
Please review the following for more details:
- Increase to premium threshold for spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) health coverage: To enroll your spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) in MSU coverage, your spouse/OEI must enroll in health care coverage through their own current or former employer if the annual employee premium cost for single-person coverage is $1,850 or less. You may still cover your spouse/OEI on your MSU health coverage as a secondary plan. Please review the Open Enrollment FAQs for more information.
- Spouse/OEI affidavit no longer required: You no longer need to complete the spouse/other eligible individual (OEI) affidavit in the EBS Portal to continue coverage for your spouse/OEI. If you currently cover a spouse/OEI on your health care plan, their coverage will automatically continue in 2026 without any action. However, the spouse/OEI premium threshold requirement still applies. Please read the previous requirement (Increase to Premium Threshold for Spouse/OEI Health Coverage) about the premium threshold increase.
Questions: Please get in touch with the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free 800-353-4434).
Most elections continue each year without the need to re-enroll. Exceptions include flexible spending accounts.
Review page 8 in the appropriate Open Enrollment Guide to determine if you need to do anything during the Open Enrollment period:
- 2026 Faculty and Academic Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Support Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9)
- 2026 Open Enrollment Benefits Guide for individuals in the following groups: (link available September 9) Cash-for-Life, COBRA, Long-term Disability, One Year Paid Medical, Postdoctoral Fellows, Unpaid Leave of Absence (including Layoff), and Workers’ Compensation.
Completing Open Enrollment Online: After completing enrollment through the EBS portal, you will receive an email confirmation statement. Review the confirmation statement to validate that your plan elections are correct. If your elections look correct, you have completed Open Enrollment. If you would like to make any changes, you can go back through the Open Enrollment application in the EBS portal through October 31 and review the confirmation statement received after making the desired changes.
Completing Open Enrollment via Email/Mail: If you were mailed an Open Enrollment guide and you submitted an enrollment/change form via email or mail, you can log in to the EBS portal, select My Benefits from the top navigation, click on Current Benefits Participation, and preview your benefit confirmation statement to validate your plan elections. If your elections look correct, you have completed Open Enrollment. If you would like to make changes, you can submit a new enrollment form through October 31 and review the benefits confirmation statement received after making the desired changes.
Note: Please allow 3–5 days for delivery via U.S. mail. Once received by our HR Solutions Center, your enrollment elections will be completed within 7–10 business days. If you do not see your updated elections at that time, please contact our HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434 (toll-free 800-353-4434) to verify receipt.
MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Information
The following resources may assist retirees and their covered dependents during Open Enrollment:
Please review the 2026 MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Benefits Guide (link available September 9) for the 2026 plan year.
Humana and Personify Health will be presenting during the MSU Benefits Fair at the following times (no need to RSVP):
- MSU Benefits Fair (In-person) on October 21 at the Breslin Student Events Center
MSU Medicare Advantage Plan: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
MSU Non-Medicare Plan: 2 – 3 p.m. - Find more details on the MSU Benefits Fair webpage, including parking information and participating vendors.
Please use the following links to learn more about the MSU retiree health care plans.
- Humana and Personify Health Information on the HR Website
- Humana Website for Medicare Eligible Enrollees: visit this page to learn more about your health and prescription coverage in the MSU Medicare Advantage plan.
Please find monthly premium rates for the 2026 plan year health and dental plans, including rates for MSU retirees who worked part-time while employed, on the Retiree Monthly Premiums for Health and Dental (including part-time retirees) webpage.
Last Year's Open Enrollment Materials
Below are links to the Open Enrollment materials released last year for the 2025 plan year. These resources are available as a reference to the current benefits year only. They do not include information about options for 2026.
- 2025 Faculty and Academic Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide
- 2025 Support Staff Open Enrollment Benefits Guide
- 2025 MSU Retiree Open Enrollment Benefits Guide
- 2025 Open Enrollment Benefits Guide for individuals in the following groups: Cash-for-Life, COBRA, Long-term Disability, One Year Paid Medical, Postdoctoral Fellows, Unpaid Leave of Absence, and Workers’ Compensation.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires health plans and employers that provide self-insured plans to provide comparative information to consumers on health plan options. To help consumers compare various plans, Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) documents, such as those provided at the link below, are laid out in a specific format and include specific groupings of information determined by the ACA. The following SBC documents are available for the health plan options MSU makes available to benefits-eligible employees. Not all individuals are eligible for all plans.
