Special Benefit Enrollment

(April 1–30, 2026)

Important Updates to SHBP Medical Plans — Action Required

The New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits (NJDPB) has announced changes to all medical plans effective July 1, 2026. As a result, there will be a Special Open Enrollment Period from:

April 1–30, 2026

Your current medical plan will no longer be offered as of July 1, 2026.

All currently enrolled employees will be moved into a corresponding (but not identical) plan with the same carrier unless they elect a different plan during this special enrollment period.

Important Information:

• Only employees currently enrolled in an SHBP medical plan may make changes.
• Employees not currently enrolled must wait until October Annual Enrollment (coverage effective January 1, 2027).
• Any changes made during the April Special Enrollment will be effective July 1, 2026

Action Required

• If you take no action, you will be defaulted into the updated version of your current plan.
• Because costs and plan design are changing, all employees are strongly encouraged to review their options carefully.

What’s Changing?

Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna continue to be the providers of medical insurance plans for the SHBP. OPTUM RX continues to be the prescription plan vendor, however:

• In-network plan costs such as deductibles, copayments, and out-of-pocket maximums will change.
• Prescription drug plans will shift to mandatory mail order for maintenance medications and will include updated copayments and out-of-pocket maximums.
• Some procedures will now require use of In-Network Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC).
  • Procedures performed outside an ASC may incur 50% coinsurance.
• Additional information can be found on the NJ Division of Pensions and Benefits (NJDPB) website, once available and below.

What’s NOT Changing / Not Allowed During This Enrollment

The following items cannot be changed in April:

• New dependents cannot be added to coverage
• Dental coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

These changes are only allowed during the regular October Annual Enrollment period.

UHR Open House and Webinar Schedule

Meet with UHR, Horizon, and Aetna to ask questions.

New Brunswick

• April 14, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Cook Student Center / Multi-Purpose Room
  59 Biel Road
  New Brunswick, NJ
• April 15, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  RBHS Medical Education Building (MEB) Atrium
  1 Robert Wood Johnson Place
  New Brunswick, NJ
• April 21, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Administrative Services Building / ASB II Community Room and Rutgers Room
  57 US Highway 1
  New Brunswick, NJ
• April 23, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Douglas Student Center / Trayes Hall 
  100 George Street
  New Brunswick, NJ
• April 30, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
  Administrative Services Building / ASB II Community Room and Rutgers Room
  57 US Highway 1
  New Brunswick, NJ

Camden

• April 16, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
  Camden Campus Center / Lower-Level South BC Conf Room
  326 Penn Street
  Camden, NJ

Newark

• April 22, 10:00 a.m. – 1: 00
  Englehart Hall / Room 311
  190 University Ave.
  Newark, NJ

Newark RBHS

• April 28, 10:00 a.m. – 3: 00
  RBHS / Stanley Bergen Building SSB 1214
  65 Bergen Street
  Newark, NJ

Live Webinar Q&A Session (via WebEx)

• April 17 at 10:00 a.m.
• April 29 at 2:00 p.m.

Benefit Vendor Webinars

Aetna and Horizon will be hosting virtual webinars in the month of April, to register please click here.

Medical Plan Information

Employees can make changes to their medical plans through BenefitSolver, the State’s online Open Enrollment tool, by logging into http://mynjbenefitshub.nj.gov. If you have trouble creating an account or logging in, please contact NJ OIT support by clicking the 'Need help?' option. If you have problems with the BenefitSolver tool, please utilize the support service within the application.

Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Aetna continue to be the providers of medical insurance plans for the SHBP. In addition to PPOs, HMO, Tiered Network, and High Deductible health coverage plans, they both offer resources for virtual medical and behavioral health care (telemedicine) as well as a host of other services and tools. More information regarding both Horizon and Aetna can be found below, as well as on their websites.

Available Medical Plans

The following medical plans administered through Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will be available to employees effective July 1, 2026:

• 26 NJ Direct
• 26 NJ DIRECT15
• 26 NJ DIRECT1525
• 26 NJ DIRECT2030
• 26 NJ DIRECT2035
• 26 Horizon HMO
• 26 Horizon OMNIA
• 26 NJ DIRECT HDHigh
• 26 NJ DIRECT HDLow

The following medical plans administered through Aetna will be available to employees effective July 1, 2026:

• 26 Freedom
• 26 Freedom15
• 26 Freedom1525
• 26 Freedom2030
• 26 Freedom2035
• 26 Aetna HMO
• 26 Aetna Liberty Plus
• 26 Freedom HDHigh
• 26 Freedom HDLow

For a detailed explanation of each plan and associated costs, access the Medical Plan Design Chart (July 2026) or plan overview documents through Horizon and Aetna.

Prescription Drug Plan

OptumRx will continue to be the prescription plan vendor for prescriptions through your local pharmacy as well as mail order prescriptions. For a detailed explanation of each plan and associated costs, access the Medical Plan Design Chart (July 2026). Prescription drug plans will shift to mandatory mail order for maintenance medications and will include updated copayments and out-of-pocket maximums.

Thinking of Switching to/from a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)?

• Switching from a HDHP?
  • If you switch from a HDHP and are presently enrolled in an HSA, those contributions will end on 6/30/2026.
  • Although you may not contribute any additional funds to the HSA after 6/30/2026, you can access the funds in the HSA account for eligible medical expenses.
  • Please keep in mind, you will not be able to enroll in an FSA during the Special Enrollment Period.

Plan Rates

For Horizon plan rates access (2026) Horizon Premium Contribution Calculator

For Aetna plan rates access (2026) Aetna Premium Contribution Calculator 

When reviewing, please be sure to select the “Rutgers, NJIT, University Hospital” option to ensure accurate estimates. Divide the listed annual premium by 24 for per-paycheck costs.

How to enroll

Employees must to log into Benefitsolver by accessing a link on the http://mynjbenefitshub.nj.gov website to make changes to medical plans.

First time users must register by the following these instructions:

• Click Register
• Enter SSN and Date of Birth
• Enter Company Key: SHBP/SEHBP
• Click Continue

Please see below for additional information and support:

• In order to access the system, you will need to create a MyNewJersey portal account
• If you have trouble creating an account and/or accessing the MyNewJersey portal, contact New Jersey OIT support by clicking the 'Need help?' option
• If you have problems with Benefitsolver, please utilize the support service within the application
• For more information on Benefitsolver, please visit UHR’s Benefits Page
• If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact OneSource Rutgers Faculty and Staff Service Center at 732-745-SERV (7378) or OneSource@rutgers.edu

Tiered Network Incentive

Thinking of switching to/from a Tiered Incentive Plan (26 Horizon OMNIA or 26 Aetna Liberty)?

• Switching to a Tiered Incentive Plan?
  • Once you enroll in a tiered incentive plan, you become eligible for the plan incentive award in the amount of $1,000. (Rewards are taxable)
  • Incentive awards will be issued by the insurance company.
  • Keep in mind, if you fail to remain enrolled in the incentive plan for 12 months, you are required to repay the full amount of the incentive award back to the NJDPB.
  • Please note that this incentive is available only once at the time of initial enrollment. If you change plans and re-enroll at a later date, you will not be eligible to receive an additional incentive reward.
• Switching from a Tiered Incentive Plan?
  • If you are currently enrolled in a tiered incentive plan and make a change to another plan effective July 1, 2026, you will be required to repay the NJDPB for any incentive earned if you were not enrolled in the plan for 12 full months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need Help?

Contact the OneSource Rutgers Faculty and Staff Service Center at 732 745 SERV (7378) or Visit the OneSource website.