What You Need to Know

• The 2026 Open enrollment was a mandatory enrollment for Cigna healthcare and Flexible benefits. The current Cigna healthcare plans (OAP Extended Network, LocalPlus Focused Network, and SureFit Network) continued to be offered. The Cigna SureFit healthcare plan (employee only) continued to be the free option for all benefits-eligible employees.
• If you did not make a healthcare selection, you were automatically assigned to the Cigna SureFit Network (employee only) healthcare plan. This plan required the selection of a Primary Care Physician (PCP); therefore, Cigna assigned a participating provider based on your zip code. This plan did not require referrals.
• If you were declining healthcare coverage in 2025, your opt-out election terminated on December 31, 2025. If you wished to continue your declination of healthcare coverage, you were required to elect to opt out by the enrollment deadline and submit the Declination of Healthcare Coverage Affidavit with proof of current other group or state-funded healthcare coverage. Sole submission of these documents did not mean you had elected to decline healthcare coverage.

NOTE: M-DCPS’ healthcare coverage met affordability and minimum value standards; therefore, you were ineligible for financial assistance (premium tax credits) to purchase Exchange/Marketplace coverage. Individual Exchange/Marketplace healthcare coverage was not eligible to receive opt-out money based on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) rules on employer-sponsored coverage.

• If you were enrolled in a Disability (STD buy-up and/or LTD) plan in 2025, those benefits continued for the 2026 plan year.
• If you were enrolled in Flexible Benefits in 2025, those benefits terminated on December 31, 2025.
• If you were enrolled in a Medical FSA and/or Dependent Care FSA in 2025, your participation in these accounts terminated on December 31, 2025.
• All employees who experienced a change in Salary Band as a result of a salary increase in June 2024 may have experienced an increase in both employee and dependent rates.

For additional information, employees were instructed to call the FBMC Service Center at 1 (855) 632-7748, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST.

The enrollment application was available during the open enrollment period 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Employees were required to use the Google Chrome web browser for the online enrollment application.

• If you enroll a dependent(s) in your benefits, the Social Security Number is required during the enrollment process for each dependent. You must submit dependent eligibility documentation (i.e., marriage certificate for spouse, birth certificate for natural children), for all covered dependents, upon request. If you do not provide the required documentation, coverage will be terminated.
• You and your dependent(s) must be enrolled in the same healthcare and flexible benefits plans.

Benefits Salary (annual base salary as of June 30 each calendar year) determines:

• Your salary band and the Board Contribution to your and your dependents’ healthcare cost.
• Board-paid life insurance amount.
• Disability benefit, which is a percentage of your benefit base salary.
• Benefits Salaries being used for the current Open Enrollment is your employee annual salary as of June 30, 2024.

• Full-time benefits eligible employees will continue to be provided Board-paid Standard Short-Term Disability (STD) coverage.
• The School Board provides a Term Life & Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) program with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for all full-time employees based on the agreement with your union and your annual base salary, rounded up to the next $1,000. 

To find out more about Board-paid Group Term Life and AD&D, contact the MetLife representative at (305) 992-7029.