What's Changing for 2026

Vendor Change: Aetna as GW's Medical Plan Administrator for 2026

Beginning January 1, 2026, GW will partner with Aetna as the new administrator of GW's medical plans. This means Aetna will take over administration of our medical plan offerings (GW PPO and GW Health Savings Plan (GW HSP)), replacing our current provider, UnitedHealthcare. Note: 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 plan designs including deductibles, coinsurance, co-pays, out of pocket maximums, etc. remain the same. The provider network, service experience, and support tools will transition to be managed by Aetna.

Note: If you do not take action during open enrollment, your current medical election, i.e. GW PPO or GW HSP will automatically roll forward.

As part of the transition to Aetna as our medical plan administrator in 2026, employees can expect several enhancements designed to improve the overall healthcare experience. These service improvements aim to make it easier for you to access care, navigate your benefits, and receive personalized support, while maintaining the quality and coverage you rely on.

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

Note: For those newly enrolling or continuing medical coverage through one of the GW medical plans, Aetna ID cards will be issued via mail. Be sure to provide your doctor with your new Aetna member details for coverage information and claim processing.

For more information, please join us for an upcoming webinar with Aetna.

Tip! Want to check if your preferred provider is in-network before the transition?

Visit www.Aetna.com and follow these steps:

Click “Find a doctor” at the top of the page.
Under the “Don’t have a member account?”, Select “Plan from an Employer”.
Under "Continue as a Guest", Enter your ZIP code.
On the next screen, under "Select a Plan", scroll to “Aetna Open Access Plans" and select "Aetna Choice POS II (Open Access)” as your plan and click "Continue".

This will help you confirm whether your provider is part of Aetna’s network.

2026 Health Plan Contribution Increases

Employee contributions for the 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 about $61, depending on your coverage level and salary band. As noted above, there will be no changes in plan design e.g., deductibles, copays, coinsurance, etc.

Below are three examples of the monthly medical contribution increase for full-time benefits-eligible employees. Please note: Contribution details for all pay frequencies are available in the Compare section of this guide.

If the employee enrolls in the GW HSP or PPO for individual coverage, the average medical contribution increase will be about $6 or $10 per month, respectively, for 2026.
If the employee enrolls in the GW HSP with family coverage, the average medical contribution increase will be about $26 per month for 2026.
If the employee enrolls in the GW PPO with family coverage, the average medical contribution increase will be about $49 per month for 2026.

Note: There will be no changes to the current salary bands.

Our commitment and shared responsibility:
While medical and prescription costs continue to rise, GW remains committed to offering health benefits that deliver value to you and your families, with competitive coverage and cost sharing. Plan costs have increased over the past two years at higher levels than we've seen in many years. During this time, GW has worked to limit increases in overall program cost and employee contributions. Changes we are making for 2026, including moving our medical plan administrator from UnitedHealthcare to Aetna, have allowed us to maintain the portion of plan cost paid by GW and still mitigate increases in employee contributions.

Reminder: MFA TIER

The GW PPO and HSP medical plans include a separate benefit coverage tier for Medical Faculty Associates (MFA). When GW medical plan participants see an MFA provider*, they receive lower co-payments and lower employee coinsurance, helping your medical expense dollars go further because a greater portion of your care will be covered by the Plan.

GW employees also have a dedicated phone number to schedule appointments at: 202-677-6000.

*The MFA tier applies to professional charges by MFA providers, MFA behavioral health providers continue to be out of-network.

2026 Dental Contribution Overview

Dental premiums for GW’s dental plans are increasing, and employee 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 depending on your coverage tier; the Low PPO monthly increases will range from approximately $3 to about $7 depending on your coverage tier, while increases to the High PPO dental option will range from about $4 to $11 per month, depending on your 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.

IRS Account Based Plan Updates

2026 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Contribution Limits

The annual maximum for the Health Care FSA will remain the same at $3,300.
The annual maximum for the Dependent Day Care FSA will increase from $5,000 (or $2,500 if you and your spouse file separate tax returns) to $7,500 (or $3,750 for married individuals filing separately).

2026 Health Savings Account (HSA) Contribution Limits

(combined employee + GW contribution)

For those with individual Health Savings Plan (HSP) coverage, the annual maximum for the HSA will increase by $100 to $4,400.
For those with family HSP coverage, the annual maximum for the HSA will increase by $200 to $8,750.
GW’s HSA matching contribution continues: GW will match dollar for dollar up to $600 for those enrolled for employee-only coverage and up to $1,200 for those covering dependents under the GW Health Savings Plan.

Note: If the IRS announces increases to the FSA maximum amounts noted above during / following the Open Enrollment period and you have elected for 2026, you will be notified via email and have the opportunity to make a change to your election by the deadline provided.

Tip: Take Advantage of an FSA or HSA

With an FSA or HSA, you can set aside pre-tax dollars from your paychecks for eligible healthcare expenses. These accounts can help you cover expected (and unexpected) health expenses while lowering your taxable income, which can save you money.

Optional Life Insurance

During Open Enrollment, employees who have optional employee life insurance coverage below $250K, or are not yet enrolled, can elect up to an additional $250K of coverage without EOI.

Employees with $250K or more in optional employee life insurance can increase their coverage up to the new GI of $500K without EOI. Here are a couple of examples:

If you are currently enrolled with $100K, you can elect up to $350K without EOI
If you are currently enrolled with $350K, you can elect up to $500K without EOI

Important: Anyone who previously declined coverage on the basis of EOI must submit EOI for any increase.