What’s new for 2026

UC Open Enrollment for 2026:
Oct. 30 – Nov. 21, 2025

Open Enrollment is the perfect time to review and confirm your current medical plan coverage and decide whether it will continue to meet your needs for the coming year.

There are only a few changes to your Blue & Gold HMO¹ for 2026. Read the message about the 2026 benefit plan changes from the VP of Systemwide HR. The changes described below are effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Staying on top of preventive care is one of the simplest ways to protect your long-term health. If you’re due for a visit — or not sure when to get checked — talk to your PCP about what’s right for you.

What’s changing in the UC Blue & Gold HMO

New criteria for coverage of weight loss medications

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, coverage of weight loss medications across all faculty/staff HMO plans will change. Coverage for new prescriptions for the treatment of obesity — such as GLP-1s — will be limited to members who have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher and meet Health Net Prior Authorization coverage requirements. Coverage of GLP-1 medications for the treatment of diabetes will not change.

Get support

If you or a family member need extra support with social, financial, or physical well-being, findhelp makes it easy to search for free and low-cost food, housing, transportation, health care, child care, education, and other resources in your community. Just enter your ZIP code and select the type of support you need.

What’s next

Watch for additional communications from UC, including emails and mailers sent to your home.

When Open Enrollment begins on Oct. 30, go to ucal.us/oe to compare all UC medical plans, review 2026 costs, and find campus webinar and benefit fair dates so you can make an informed choice. You’ll make any 2026 changes in UCPath (employees) or UCRAYS (retirees).