The 2027 Open Enrollment period will begin on Monday, October 5, 2026 and end on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET.
What's Changing for 2027
Vendor Change: MetLife as GW's Life Insurance Carrier
Beginning January 1, 2027, GW will transition from Lincoln Financial to MetLife for Life Insurance.
There will be no changes to the retiree life insurance plan design as a result of this transition. GW will work closely with MetLife in the coming months to help ensure a smooth transition.
Note: Your current retiree life insurance will automatically transition to MetLife effective January 1, 2027. No action is needed.
For more information, please join us for an upcoming webinar with MetLife.
Expanded Medical Services Under the GW Retiree Health Savings Plan (HSP)
Beginning January 1, 2027, new services will be covered under the GW Retiree Health Savings Plan (HSP), including:
- Bariatric surgery
- Hearing aids and cochlear implants
- Fertility services through Progyny
For more information, please join us for an upcoming webinar with Aetna.
Tip! Want to check if your preferred provider is in-network with Aetna?
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.
2027 Medical Contribution Overview
Pre-Age 65 Retiree: GW Retiree HSP
GW will continue to offer the GW Retiree Health Savings Plan (Retiree HSP) for retirees and their dependents under age 65. Plan participants will see a 9.5% increase in medical premiums for 2027.
Our Shared Responsibility
As we expect continued upward pressure on the cost of our medical plans, it's important to remember we all play a part in helping control costs.
Our medical plans are self-insured which means the university pays the claims. Aetna will process the claims from health providers for GW plan participants and their covered dependents.
Our premiums for the medical plans are based on our claims experience. High volume and / or high-cost claims in a year directly impact the premiums we pay as participants in the following year.
But you can help. When you get regular wellness visits and timely screenings, use in-network providers, and thoughtfully consider care, you generally incur less in claim costs, which has a direct impact on next year’s premiums.
2027 Dental Contribution Overview
Dental Premiums for GW's dental plans are increasing, and as a result contributions for dental coverage will increase for all three dental plan options. Retiree monthly contributions will increase 4% for the DMO; the Low PPO and High PPO will increase 4.9% monthly. 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 2027.