Benefits

What (and When) Is Open Enrollment?

Each year, you have choices to make regarding health benefits and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). If you take no action, your current health plan will continue into the new plan year. However, FSAs must be renewed annually.*

This year's open enrollment period is May 15 to May 29, 2026. All changes and enrollments made during open enrollment will take effect on July 1. The new plan year is July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.

• Semi-monthly payroll deduction changes are effective starting with the July 16, 2026 paycheck.
• Bi-weekly payroll deduction changes are effective starting with the July 2, 2026 paycheck.
• All 9-month faculty (both 9/9 and 9/12) deduction changes are effective September 16, 2026.

Refer to the Spotlight on Your Benefits newsletter to learn everything you need to know about open enrollment—including detailed plan breakdowns, incentive programs, dependent coverage, frequently asked questions, and more. This newsletter is mailed to your home address on record. If you did not receive your mailed Spotlight, all materials are available on the DHRM website.

*To learn more about FSAs, refer to the Flexible Spending Accounts tab.

What Can I Do During Open Enrollment?

If you wish, you can take action to:

• Enroll in a health plan or change your current health plan.
• Elect or remove optional buy-ups to your existing Cova Care, Cova HDP or Cova HealthAware health plan, such as Expanded Dental, Vision & Hearing and/or out-of-network benefits.
• Waive coverage.
• Add or remove family members (note: if you are adding family members, you must submit required supporting documentation within 60 days from the end of the Open Enrollment period).
• Enroll (or re-enroll) in a Health Care FSA, a Dependent Care FSA, or Premium Rewards (note: these do not carry over year to year).

No action is required if you:

• Do not want to make any changes to your current health plan or enroll in a new health plan.
• Are not enrolling or re-enrolling in an FSA.
• Do not plan to participate in Premium Rewards in the new plan year.

Language Assistance

If you need help in the language you speak, language assistance services are available to you free of charge. Assistance is available in Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, Persian, Amharic, Urdu, French, Russian, Hindi, German, Bengali, Bassa, Igbo, Yoruba, and Tagalog.

To request language assistance, email appeals@dhrm.virginia.gov or fax to 804-786-0356.

To Make Changes/Elections During Open Enrollment

• Log in to the Cardinal online portal using your Cardinal ID (aka your state employee ID). You'll receive a confirmation email after submitting your actions in Cardinal.
• Alternatively, you may complete the fillable form on the DHRM website and submit it (along with all supporting documentation) via the secure upload portal. Paper enrollment forms must be signed no earlier than May 15 and no later than May 29. Paper enrollment forms must be received by HR or uploaded by 11:59 p.m. May 29.
• All open enrollment actions must be completed between May 15 and 11:59 p.m. on May 29, 2026.

Resources

• I don't know my Cardinal ID/state employee ID (PDF)
• I haven't activated my Cardinal account (DOCX)
• Cardinal tutorial video

Which Plan is Best for Me?

Not sure which plan is best for you? Talk to ALEX, your virtual benefits counselor. ALEX evaluates your circumstances and recommends the best options for you.

Premium Rewards

Premium Rewards are health plan premium incentives for active COVA Care and COVA HealthAware plan participants who complete a health assessment. For more detailed information on Premium Rewards, refer to your Spotlight on Your Benefits and the DHRM website.

Please note:

• You and/or your spouse must be active and enrolled in COVA Care or COVA HealthAware before you can take the health assessment. If you are electing to enroll during Open Enrollment, you must wait until you receive the insurance ID card before you can take the health assessment and receive the Premium Reward.
• If you are currently enrolled in the COVA CARE or COVA HealthAware plan, to receive the reward effective July 1, 2026, you must complete the health assessment during open enrollment.
  • If you miss completing the health assessment during open enrollment, you can take it any time after the plan year begins on July 1 and the Premium Reward will be effective 6-8 weeks after taking the health assessment.
• If you are changing plans during open enrollment, you'll need to wait until you receive your new insurance ID card to take the health assessment.
  • Please note that you may not receive your mailed insurance card until on or around July 1. Don't worry—you can still complete the assessment once the new plan year has started.
• Premium Rewards do not carry over year to year.
• New Requirement - Wellness Exam: Have an annual preventative visit, well-adult or well-woman exam completed, processed and paid, between January 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026. The annual preventive visit, well-adult or well-woman exam must have been completed under the COVA Care and COVA HealthAware plans. The health plan administrators will send notification of this information.
  • There is no information that you need to provide; however, keep a copy of your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) which shows that your claim has been processed and paid.

General Information

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a tax-saving benefit that allows you to set aside a certain amount of money to pay for future out-of-pocket medical expenses (Health Care FSA) or dependent medical expenses (Dependent Care FSA). You can contribute to one or both of these account types. You may want to consult with a tax advisor when determining the annual amount to contribute.

You may enroll in an FSA even if you are not enrolled in a health insurance plan. Please note that FSAs do not carry over year to year, so you must re-enroll each year during open enrollment to have access to your FSA in the next plan year.*

For detailed information about FSAs, refer to the FSA Sourcebook and Spotlight on Your Benefits.

*Note: Open enrollment is not the only time you can enroll in a Dependent Care FSA. For example, if you have a change in dependent care costs, it is considered a qualifying mid-year event (QME) and you will have 60 days to make an FSA election change.

Employees Hired Between May 1 – June 1, 2026

Newly-eligible employees with coverage effective between May 1 – June 1, 2026 can enroll in an FSA for the remainder of the current plan year (through June 30, 2026) in addition to enrolling in an FSA for the new plan year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027).

Drop-In Counseling

The Benefits team will hold onsite and virtual drop-in sessions where you can stop by to ask questions and get assistance, no sign-up neccessary.

What if my dependent doesn't have a Social Security Number?

• Dependents may not have a Social Security Number (SSN) for a variety of reasons. If your spouse or child doesn't have one, you must submit a valid visa, proof of alien status, or other DHS/State Department documents to add them to your health plan.
  • If your child doesn't have an SSN but was born in the US, their birth certificate will suffice.
• For information on obtaining or replacing an SSN, please visit the Social Security Administration's website.

I can’t find my supporting documentation. What should I do?

When adding dependents, there is required supporting documentation that provides proof of eligibility. You may need to request duplicates directly from the state in which you were married and/or your children were born, which can take some time. You need to make your election request from May 15-29, 2026. Do not miss the Open Enrollment deadline. The documentation can be submitted later.

You have an additional 30 days from the end of the Open Enrollment period to submit the eligibility documentation. If you were married within the past twelve months a photocopy of a certified or registered marriage certificate is enough to validate eligibility for your spouse, since a tax return may not yet be available. Note: Health care coverage will not be effective until approved documentation is received.

I am a new employee hired between May 1 – June 1, 2026. Can I participate in open enrollment?

Yes. Please note that for FSAs, you can enroll for the remainder of the current plan year (through June 30, 2026) in addition to enrolling for the new plan year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). Be mindful of the New Hire FSA election amount and the Open Enrollment election amounts.

I have a qualifying mid-year event between May 1 – June 1, 2026. Can I participate in open enrollment?

If you have a qualifying mid-year event between May 1 – June 1, 2026, you can make changes to your health plan and/or FSA if your changes are related to the event. Changes/enrollments can be made for the remainder of the current plan year (which ends June 30, 2026) in addition to the new plan year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027).

How will I know my actions in Cardinal are confirmed?

You'll receive an emailed confirmation that a benefit change or enrollment has been completed in the Cardinal system. You can also view your benefit enrollment statement in Cardinal.

If you need help, refer to DHRM's contact page on your Spotlight on Your Benefits or contact the Benefits team at benefits@gmu.edu.