Defined Benefit Retiree Without System-Paid Medical
Open Enrollment for 2026

Open Enrollment Overview

The AlaskaCare Retiree Health Plan is providing you with an opportunity to elect or change your health benefit coverage. Open Enrollment began November 5, 2025, and ends November 26, 2025. During this period, you may make elections or changes to your health coverage effective January 1, 2026.

This Open Enrollment is offered to TRS Tier II and PERS Tier II and Tier III benefit recipients.

If you wish to participate in Open Enrollment, please read the instructions below. Any election changes must be postmarked or received by the Division of Retirement and Benefits by November 26, 2025.

For general information about the Defined Benefit Retiree Health plan, please visit our AlaskaCare Retiree Health Plan webpage.

What Benefits Am I Eligible to Enroll in or Change During Open Enrollment?

If at retirement you were not eligible for system-paid medical benefits due to not meeting age and/or service requirements, the following benefit options may be available to you based on your medical and dental elections at the time you retired. Please review the following scenarios carefully.

• If you did not elect to purchase Medical or Dental/Vision/Audio (DVA) coverage at retirement:
  • You may enroll in medical coverage now, however, DVA may be elected now only if the same or increased level of medical coverage is also being elected for the first time. You may not elect to enroll in DVA only.
  • You may also elect to purchase medical and/or dental-vision-audio insurance for your dependents. However, you may not elect either coverage for dependents only.
  • You may elect a higher level of medical coverage than DVA coverage, but you cannot elect a higher level of DVA coverage without electing the same or higher level of medical coverage. For example, if you want to enroll in DVA for retiree and spouse, you must also elect to purchase medical coverage for both you and your spouse.
• If you elected to purchase only medical insurance for you and/or your dependents at retirement:
  • You do not have the opportunity to elect DVA during this year’s open enrollment.
  • If you would like to add an eligible dependent to your medical coverage, you may do so at this time.
• If at retirement you enrolled only in DVA and did not elect to enroll in medical benefits:
  • You may enroll in medical insurance for you, your spouse, and/or any eligible dependent children.
  • If you are electing medical coverage greater than your DVA coverage, you may increase your DVA level of coverage to match your medical level of coverage.

Note: If you need to review the medical, dental-vision-audio, and long-term care elections you chose at your retirement or subsequently during an open enrollment period, please call the in Juneau at or toll-free at to speak to a customer service representative.

Important Information for Retirees Nearing Age 60

Legislation provides for the retirement system to pay the full premium for your medical coverage at age 60 (also known as “system-paid medical”), depending on tier status and service requirements.

• If you are a PERS Tier III retiree, first hired on or after July 1, 1996, you must meet the 10 years of creditable service at the time of your retirement in order to qualify for system-paid medical benefits at age 60.
• If you are a vested PERS Tier II retiree, first hired on or after July 1, 1986, or a vested TRS Tier II retiree, first hired on or after July 1, 1990, you only have to meet the age eligibility requirement in order to receive system-paid medical benefits. You DO NOT have to meet the 10-year service eligibility requirement.

Coverage for retirees reaching age 60 becomes system-paid (no cost to you for major medical premiums) the first of the month following your 60th birthday. This coverage includes the retiree, spouse, and any eligible dependent children you may have.

What You Need to Do

• Review the Health Benefits Enrollment/Waiver form (ben050)Health Benefits Enrollment/Waiver form PDF for next year’s premiums. If you need to review the details of your current elections, please call the to speak to a customer service representative.
• Decide if you want to change the level of coverage you already have.
• Determine if you are eligible to add DVA coverage if you are not already enrolled or if you want to update the level of coverage you already have.
• Complete the Health Benefits Enrollment/Waiver form (ben050)Health Benefits Enrollment/Waiver form (ben050) PDF , indicating the coverage you would like effective January 1, 2026.
• Complete the Retiree Health Dependent Change form (02-1854r)Retiree Health Dependent Change form (02-1854r) PDF to list any new dependents you will be covering under your AlaskaCare Health Plan effective January 1, 2026.
• Return your form(s) to the Division of Retirement and Benefits by 5 p.m. AKST on November 26, 2025.

If you would prefer a paper copy of the enrollment forms, please contact the Division of Retirement and Benefits as soon as possible to request a copy be mailed to you. You will need to return the signed form to the Division no later than 5 p.m. AKST on November 26, 2025.

If your enrollment is not postmarked or received by the November 26 deadline, your current elections will remain in force for the coming year. Please note that any 2026 benefit changes will apply.