2026 Open Enrollment Dates and Information

July 2, 2026
Circular Letter: 600-032-26
Topic: Health Benefits

To: All CalPERS Health Benefits Officers and Assistant Health Benefits Officers

Purpose

The purpose of this Circular Letter is to inform you of important dates, upcoming events, available resources, and Health Fair details for 2026 Open Enrollment. This Circular Letter also explains how to sign up for Employer Bulletins to stay informed of California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) news and events.

2026 Open Enrollment Dates

The following are key dates:

  • September 14–October 9, 2026: Open Enrollment is your employees’ annual opportunity to enroll, change health plans, add or remove eligible dependents, or cancel coverage. With your approval, eligible active employees can make many health enrollment changes online through their myCalPERS account. 
  • November 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT: The deadline for processing all Open Enrollment transactions. 
  • January 1, 2027: The effective date of any changes made during Open Enrollment. 

Upcoming Member Communications

We conduct annual outreach to members to help prepare them for Open Enrollment: 

  • In late July, we’ll email members to notify them of the 2027 health plan and benefit design changes. 
  • In August, we’ll send targeted letters to members directly affected by a significant health plan change in 2027, such as health plan exits and premium increases of 9% or higher. 
  • On September 8, 2026, your employees’ Health Plan Statements will be available in their myCalPERS accounts. The statement provides personalized health plan and premium information and serves as a key Open Enrollment resource.
  • On September 9, 2026, at 10 a.m. PT, we’ll host the Open Enrollment Member Webinar. Save this date and encourage your employees to tune in. We’ll send additional details in the coming weeks.

Open Enrollment Employer Webinar

Join us on September 2, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. PT, for the Open Enrollment Employer Webinar. We’ll share details about the 2027 health plan changes, key Open Enrollment dates, employer resources, and information to help you support your employees. Registration information will be shared in the coming weeks on the Open Enrollment for Employers webpage.

Open Enrollment Health Fairs

Open Enrollment Health Fairs give your employees an opportunity to connect directly with our health plans and partners, ask benefit questions, and review resources to help them make informed decisions. The Open Enrollment Health Fair request tool will be available July 20 through August 28, 2026. Open Enrollment Health Fairs may be held September 1 through October 9, 2026. You can expect communication on this in the upcoming weeks.

If your agency is interested in requesting Open Enrollment Health Fair support, begin planning now. Support options include in-person or virtual health plan and partner participation, printed materials, and/or virtual resources. In-person events may be scheduled between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Open Enrollment Health Fairs are subject to health plan and partner availability.

Before the request tool opens, consider preferred event dates, estimated attendance, event format, and how you will promote Health Fair information to your employees. When the tool opens, you can request the format that works best for your agency. Once you submit a request, it will display as pending until reviewed by participating health plans and partners. Health plans and partners will work to confirm participation as early as possible, and no later than four weeks before your scheduled event date.

Employer Bulletins

For the most up-to-date information about CalPERS news and 2026 Open Enrollment, encourage others at your agency to subscribe to Employer Bulletins.

Help Us Serve Our Members Better

Encourage your employees to create their Health Demographic Profile in myCalPERS. It takes less than two minutes to complete and is confidential and secure. Their responses will help us better understand our members and improve the quality of care and health outcomes for all. 

Questions

If you have questions, call our CalPERS Customer Contact Center at 888 CalPERS (or 888-225-7377888-225-7377).

Yesenia Croft, Chief
Health Account Management Division