Edit by LM 11/26/25

AlaskaCare Employee
Open Enrollment

Learn what's new and how to make changes during the annual enrollment for AlaskaCare Employee Health Plan participants.
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Closure Information

After open enrollment closes, you can only make changes when you have a qualified status change or other applicable event. Examples can include a change in your legal marital status or the birth of a child. For a complete list, see section 1.8.2 of the AlaskaCare Employee Insurance Information Booklet PDF . You must make changes and report most qualifying status changes or other applicable events within 30 calendar days from the event.

Visit the AlaskaCare Employee Health Plan webpage webpage throughout the year to learn about your plan.

If you have questions about open enrollment or your AlaskaCare Health Plan, please contact the AlaskaCare toll-free at , in Juneau at , or by email at .

Overview

Open Enrollment for the AlaskaCare Health Plan through the Division of Retirement and Benefits occurs every November. Although the health plan Open Enrollment is only for AlaskaCare members, please note that Open Enrollment for Group Life and Voluntary Supplemental Benefits (VSB) occurs at the same time and is open to all employees who are eligible for Group Life and VSB enrollment. You can learn more on the VSB Open Enrollment webpage webpage.

Visit the What Plan/Tier Am I In? webpage webpage for a complete list of which bargaining units are associated with which health plans.

Asterisk information What does “30% Dependents” in the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) mean?

The 30% SBC does not apply to members electing Employee Only options or members whose spouse or adult children who do not work for the State of Alaska and have coverage through a State employee health trust, such as ASEA. Under the authority of 2 AAC 39.920, AlaskaCare will only pay 30 percent of covered charges for your dependents if your spouse or children are covered by a State employee health trust and that coverage:

  • Has been waived,
  • Pays less than 70% of covered expenses, or
  • Has an individual out-of-pocket maximum, including deductible, of more than $3,500

Goat

If you have health coverage through AlaskaCare and your spouse or the parent of any of your children has other health coverage (for example, through a State employee health trust), the parent who has primary responsibility for covering your children must ensure they elect a plan that provides full family coverage. Failure to do so will result in less coverage for your dependents in the coming year.

If you have questions about open enrollment or your AlaskaCare Health Plan, please contact the AlaskaCare toll-free at , in Juneau at , or by email at .

Benefit Highlights for 2026

New in 2026

AlaskaCare Medical Plan Updates

Effective January 1, 2026, the individual and family deductible amounts, as well as the in-network Primary Care and Specialty Care office visit copays, will change for the Economy and Standard medical plans. See the new deductibles and copays below:

Medical Plan Provisions for ALL Employee Groups
Individual Deductible Family Deductible Coinsurance (Percentage of allowable amount paid by plan) Individual Annual Out-of-Pocket Limit Family Annual Out-of-Pocket Limit In-Network Primary Care Office Visit Copay In-Network Specialty Care Office Visit Copay
Standard Medical Plan $350 $700 80% $1,750 $3,500 $40 $60
Economy Medical Plan $550 $1,100 70% $2,750 $5,500 $50 $75
Consumer Choice Medical Plan $2,400 (first $750 offset by HRA) $4,800 (first $1,500 offset by HRA) 70% $5,400 $10,800 N/A N/A
Effective: January 1, 2026

Non-Preferred Brand-Name Prescription Drugs Updates

Effective January 1, 2026, the non-preferred brand-name prescription drug cost share will increase. Non-preferred brand-name prescription drugs are medications that have an equivalent generic or preferred brand drug. These equivalent drugs are available at a lower cost for members, with copays ranging from $5 and $10 for generic drugs to $35 for preferred brand-name drugs.

The current and future coinsurance amount for a 30-day supply of a non-preferred brand-name prescription drug filled at an in-network retail pharmacy is 65%, which means a 35% member coinsurance (your cost share). However, the minimum and maximum amounts will increase from an $80 minimum / $150 maximum to a $150 minimum /$300 maximum per prescription.

Effective January 1, 2026, 31-90 day prescriptions for non-preferred brand-name prescription drugs filled through home delivery will change from a $100 copay per prescription, to a 35% member coinsurance with a $300 minimum / $600 maximum per prescription.

Pharmacy Out-of-Pocket Limit Updates

Effective January 1, 2026, there will be an increase to the pharmacy annual out-of-pocket limit from $1,000 individual/$2,000 family to $2,000 individual /$4,000 family.

New Weight Loss Program for GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) Utilizers

Effective January 1, 2026, the AlaskaCare Employee Health Plan is implementing a weight loss program managed by Virta Health in conjunction with Optum Rx for all members with a weight loss Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) prescription. This program will connect weight loss GLP-1 utilizers to a Virta provider for a virtual clinical consult, during which your Virta provider will determine a personalized care path to best suit your needs.

Virta’s program is designed to help optimize your weight loss experience with nutritional or lifestyle therapy to complement or replace your GLP-1 prescription. Beginning in 2026, you will only be able to fill a GLP-1 prescription for weight loss that has been prescribed by a Virta Health provider.

  • Who will this change affect? This change affects anyone with a GLP-1 prescription for weight loss. Members who use GLP-1 to manage diabetes or other conditions will not be affected.
  • Which GLP-1 medications are included in this change? Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda, and the generic GLP-1, liraglutide.
  • What will I need to do if I am taking one of these medications? If you are taking one of the medications above, keep an eye out for communications from Optum Rx and Virta Health regarding this change and the next steps to ensure a smooth transition into the program.

For more information, please visit the Virta Frequently Asked Questions webpage webpage.

Enrolling Outside of Open Enrollment

Use the Online Benefits Enrollment portals below throughout the year to review your elections or make changes due to a qualified status change. For enrollment information, including opting out of coverage, please visit our Enrollment Instructions webpage webpage.

Page Last Modified: 11/26/25 08:59:19