USG Open Enrollment is October 27 – November 7, 2025.
Watch a short benefits overview video to learn what's new or changing for 2026.
Watch the recorded open enrollment virtual information session here.
Tobacco Surcharge Certification Reminder
Action Required: Tobacco Certification Reminder
If you are enrolled in a USG healthcare plan, you are required to complete a certification each year during Open Enrollment. You must certify whether you (and your covered family members age 18+) use tobacco.
Contact OneUSG Connect - Benefits at 844-587-4236 to complete your certifications. Expect longer than usual wait times to reach a representative by phone. Avoid the wait time by clicking here, then clicking Your Help Requests to submit a ticket.
Learn more about the tobacco use surcharge and when it applies.
2026 Tobacco Surcharge NOTE: If you don’t certify, the surcharge(s) will apply. | ||
Retiree |
Spouse | Children 18+ (one surcharge for all children who use tobacco) |
$150/month | $150/month | $150/month |
Remember to review your confirmation statement and make any corrections by December 31, 2025, to ensure your coverage and surcharge elections are captured correctly.
Confirm all your contact information! To receive your Confirmation of Benefits for 2026 Open Enrollment and other important benefits updates electronically, visit oneusgconnect.usg.edu and click Manage My Benefits. Once logged in to OneUSG Connect - Benefits, select Validate Your Personal Information and confirm your preferred email address. You must provide your personal email address to receive your Confirmation of Benefits electronically.
Planning to Quit Tobacco?
Planning to quit tobacco? That’s great! Select the “cessation” option to notify us of your intent to quit. By selecting the cessation option, you will not be charged the surcharge until April 1, 2026. View the list of no-cost cessation programs and resources available to you. Then, complete a tobacco cessation program of your choice and notify the One USG Connect - Benefits Call Center of your completion of the program. If you stop using tobacco products or complete a tobacco cessation program, you must update your tobacco use status with OneUSG Connect - Benefits at 1-844-587-4236 to avoid the surcharge.
If you do not complete a cessation program, do not stop using tobacco or fail to update your tobacco use status, the tobacco surcharge will be applied beginning April 1, 2026. You may update your status at any time during the year, but the surcharge will be removed the first of the month following the date you update your status (e.g., status update May 15, surcharge removed effective June 1).
Remember! Even if you do not wish to make changes to your benefits for the following plan year, you must log in to oneusgconnect.usg.edu/ and complete your surcharge certifications every year during USG Open Enrollment.
What's New or Changing for 2026
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Healthcare Plan Premiums
USG is working to keep coverage as affordable as possible. For 2026, healthcare costs were projected to increase by 12%, but by making minor plan design changes we have kept employee premium increases to an average of 7.2%.
Retiree Monthly Premium*
(+/- $ Change from Current)
Anthem
Kaiser Permanente
Tier
Consumer Choice HSA
Comprehensive Care
BlueChoice HMO
HMO
Retiree only
$105 (+$7)
$233 (+$13)
$286 (+$12)
$219 (+$12)
Retiree + Child(ren)
$230 (+$22)
$460 (+$32)
$556 (+$31)
$427 (+$31)
Retiree + Spouse
$269 (+$26)
$537 (+$38)
$648 (+$36)
$498 (+$37)
Retiree + Family
$384 (+$37)
$767 (+$54)
$926 (+$52)
$712 (+$53)
*Premiums rounded to the nearest dollar
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Healthcare Plan Design
The out-of-pocket maximum will change for Anthem Consumer Choice (family tier) and pharmacy maximums will change for the Anthem Comprehensive Care Plan and Blue Choice plans.
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2026 Pharmacy Benefits
Manage your prescription coverage
Your formulary can change throughout the year, so make sure to periodically check your medications against the approved drug list. To check coverage and copay amounts and get information about medications, visit benefits.usg.edu/health-and-well-being/pharmacy.
You can expect a number of changes beginning January 1, 2026. Even if your medications have not changed, the list of approved medications may have, so make sure you periodically check your medications against the approved drug list. To see the most up-to-date drug lists, log in to your account with CVS/Caremark or Kaiser Permanente.
If you are not currently enrolled in coverage, and want to view the upcoming drug lists:
CVS Caremark
2026 Standard Drug List eff January 2026
2026 Specialty Drug List eff January 2026
2026 Preventative Drug List - COMING SOON
2026 Consumer Choice HSA Preventative Drug List - COMING SOON
Kaiser Permanente
2026 4 Tier Drug List eff January 2026
Remember! Regardless of the pharmacy plan you are covered by, each plan has a list of ACA preventive medications that are covered at $0 employee cost-share, before the deductible. Log in to your account with CVS/Caremark or Kaiser Permanente for a list of preventive medications.
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Dental Plan Premium
For 2026, the employee dental plan premiums will increase by 5%.
Retiree Monthly Premium*
(+/- $ Change from Current)
Delta Dental Base
Delta Dental High
Retiree $39 (+$2)
$48 (+$2)
Retiree + Child(ren) $77 (+$4)
$96 (+$5)
Retiree + Spouse $74 (+$4)
$91 (+$4)
Retiree + Family $124 (+$6)
$153 (+$7)
*Premiums are rounded to the nearest dollar
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Other Noteworthy Information
Even if you’re not enrolled in healthcare, you need a beneficiary for your Basic Life Insurance. You will need to add your beneficiary’s name, contact information and Social Security number.
- Life Insurance: During your enrollment, you will be prompted to add a beneficiary.
- Retirement Plan: Review and/or update your beneficiary information with your retirement vendor.
To update your USG life insurance beneficiaries, log in to oneusgconnect.usg.edu and:
- Select Review and Update Beneficiary from the left menu under Quick Links.
- Select the life or AD&D plan you want to designate.
- Select Add or Choose.
- Select the beneficiary type from the drop-down menu and click Continue.
- Enter the beneficiary’s Social Security number, first and last name, date of birth, phone number, email address and mailing address and click Continue.
- Select primary or contingent and the percentage, if you are designating more than one beneficiary per plan and click Continue.
- Click Confirm.
You may also call 1-844-587-4236 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
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How To Make Changes To Your Enrollment
As a retiree, you can only make changes to benefits in which you are already enrolled. You may not add benefits in retirement. If you disenroll in any coverage, you will not be allowed to re-enroll at a later date.
To make changes to your USG healthcare, dental and vision coverage or to update your life insurance beneficiaries, visit OneUSG Connect - Benefits and select Manage My Benefits. If you have questions, call the OneUSG Connect - Benefits Call Center at 1-844-587-4236. Expert representatives are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Schedule an appointment to meet with a Virtual Benefits Counselor to receive an in-depth benefits review and get help making your 2026 benefits elections. To schedule an appointment, visit benefitsgo/USG during Open Enrollment.
Enroll anywhere, anytime with the Alight Mobile app
Please visit oneusgconnect.usg.edu to make sure your password has not expired. Then, download the Alight Mobile app from alight.com/app, the App Store or Google Play for an easy way to enroll on the go and access your USG benefits.
- Enter University System of Georgia
Select Login with your Alight credentials. Your Alight credentials are the same as your login for oneusgconnect.usg.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
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I am currently retired but will turn age 65 during Open Enrollment. What do I need to do?
Approximately 90 days before your 65th birthday, you should enroll in Medicare Parts A & B. Additionally, you should have begun receiving communications from Alight Retiree Health Solutions (ARHS). You will need to make an appointment with an ARHS enrollment counselor to select a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage or Medicare prescription drug plan in order to receive the annual employer Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) contribution.
Review the Retirement Planning Guide or register to attend one of the monthly age-in sessions offered by Alight Retiree Health Solutions.