The annual insurance open enrollment period is now underway through October 31! During open enrollment, eligible employees can enroll in or make changes to insurance coverage to take effect January 1, 2026.
The Open Enrollment deadline is October 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
The South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) is the state agency responsible for administering and managing the state’s insurance programs for South Carolina’s public workforce. PEBA’s 2026 Insurance Summary (PDF) is a helpful resource for detailed information about open enrollment options.
Where to Begin
Eligible faculty and staff should review their insurance elections and benefit deductions annually, even if they don’t plan to make changes.
- Review your current benefit elections in your PEBA MyBenefits account. If you do not have a MyBenefits account, use the Setting Up a New MyBenefits Account flyer (PDF) to create one.
- Use PEBA’s Open Enrollment Worksheet (PDF) to review and plan your coverage.
- Verify current benefit deductions by accessing your paycheck through Employee Self-Service.
If you are satisfied with your current insurance elections and want them to continue in 2026, you don’t need to make any changes during Open Enrollment, unless you wish to continue your MoneyPlus flexible spending account. Medical Spending Account (MSA), Limited Medical Spending Account (LMSA) and Dependent Care Spending Account (DCSA) participants must re-enroll each year using the instructions below.
Plan Your Elections
Health Insurance
- Employee health insurance premiums will not increase in 2026.
- Visit the Open Enrollment 2025 webpage to view insurance highlights and plan changes.
- Make any necessary changes by accessing your PEBA MyBenefits account.
Dental Insurance
- Basic Dental premiums will remain unchanged in 2026. Dental Plus premiums will increase.
- This is a Dental year, which means you may enroll, make changes or drop dental coverage during Open Enrollment. Changes will take effect on January 1, 2026. If you do not make changes during this time, your next opportunity to make changes will be during Open Enrollment in 2027 or within 31 days of a qualifying life event.
Vision Insurance
- State Vision Plan premiums will not increase in 2026.
- Make any necessary changes by accessing your PEBA MyBenefits account.
MoneyPlus Flexible Spending Account
- Participants must access PEBA MyBenefits to enroll or re-enroll in medical, limited-use medical and dependent care spending accounts.
- Current MoneyPlus flexible spending account holders must re-enroll during Open Enrollment to continue making contributions in the 2026 plan year.
- You can carry over up to $660 of unused Medical Spending Account (MSA) and Limited-use MSA funds into the next plan year.
- This year: MoneyPlus flexible spending account administrative fees will reduce to $1.10 per account per month.
MoneyPlus Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Access PEBA MyBenefits to enroll or make changes. You can enroll in an HSA or make changes to your HSA contributions anytime throughout the year.
- If you already have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you do not need to re-enroll, though participants should consider whether they would like to change their contribution amount in 2026. Current elections will continue if no action is taken.
- This year: There will no longer be a monthly administrative fee for Health Savings Accounts.
Life Insurance
- Employees wishing to enroll in or increase (by more than $50,000) employee optional life insurance coverage or dependent life-spouse insurance for 2026 must submit their request and Notice of Election (NOE) through the Life Insurance Portal on the Open Enrollment 2025 webpage. Review the OE webpage for specific instructions. Medical evidence is required.
- A separate NOE must be uploaded through the life insurance portal for each person (employee or spouse) by October 31, 2025.
- This year, participants can increase their optional life insurance coverage by up to $50,000 without medical evidence through MyBenefits!
- Employees who want to enroll in, make changes to or drop dependent life-child coverage may do so through MyBenefits during open enrollment.
- Employees who want to drop or decrease employee optional life insurance coverage or dependent life-spouse coverage may do so in MyBenefits during open enrollment.
Supplemental Long-Term Disability (SLTD)
- You may enroll in or make changes to your current waiting period from 180 days to 90 days for your supplemental long-term disability (SLTD) coverage with medical evidence by accessing the SLTD Portal.
- Current subscribers may change their waiting period from 90 days to 180 days or drop their coverage in MyBenefits.
Aflac
- Learn more about the Aflac supplemental insurance plans, schedule a virtual appointment with an Aflac representative or attend a webinar by visiting the Open Enrollment 2025 webpage.
Allstate Identity Protection Pro Plus
- To enroll in or adjust coverage through the Allstate Identity Protection Pro Plus plan, submit the Identity Protection Open Enrollment Form located on the Open Enrollment 2025 webpage.
Resources
- 2025 Open Enrollment Webpage
- Includes insurance overview with highlights, plan changes and FAQs
- Links to PEBA MyBenefits and other insurance portals
- Tools for scheduling virtual open enrollment assistance with PEBA, Aflac, Allstate and the Office of Human Resources
- Open Enrollment presentations available in Tiger Training
