Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Welcome to the 2027 Open Enrollment webpage. Benefits Open Enrollment will take place between November 2–23, 2026.

As a benefits eligible faculty or staff member, you have access to a range of quality benefit options so you can get the coverage you need for yourself and your eligible family members. Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to reassess your healthcare, life insurance, and other benefit needs - by considering how you utilized your benefits in 2026 and how your needs may change for 2027.

Benefits eligible faculty and staff are able to enroll in or make changes to their benefit elections for the upcoming calendar year during Open Enrollment. Log into the benefit portal (company identifier is HWSCollege for new registration) to review your benefit elections from last year and to update benefit elections, dependent information and beneficiaries for calendar year 2027. Open enrollment begins on November 2 at 12 a.m. and closes on November 23 at 11:59 p.m. Once Open Enrollment closes you will not be able to make a benefit change until the next Open Enrollment, unless you have a qualifying life event.

If you do not login to the benefit portal or elect any changes, your current benefit elections will remain in effect except for flexible spending accounts. If you want to enroll in FSA for 2027, you must login and elect your FSA enrollment.

2027 Open Enrollment Guide

Open Enrollment Information Sessions

Human Resources will host in-person and virtual sessions to review the 2027 benefit offerings, explain plan changes and answer questions. Representatives from Human Resources, Consiliarium Group (HWS’ benefits advising firm) and TrueScripts Rx (virtual) will participate.

• Wednesday, November 4: 12:30–1:30 p.m. and 3:30–4:30 p.m., Bartlett Theatre, Coxe Hall (in person)
• Monday, November 9: 4–5 p.m., virtual, Microsoft Teams link will be emailed
• Tuesday, November 17: 3–4 p.m., virtual, Microsoft Teams link will be emailed

An Additional Option for Families: NYS Child Health Plus
Employees with children under age 19 may wish to explore New York State Child Health Plus as an alternative to covering their children through the HWS family medical plan.

Depending on household income and eligibility, Child Health Plus may offer comprehensive coverage at a lower monthly cost. For eligible families, premiums may be capped at $60 per child and $180 per family per month.

Learn more at the New York State Department of Health.

2027 BENEFIT CHANGES AT A GLANCE

Hobart and William Smith is continuing to provide employees with a strong benefit package. As a benefit eligible faculty or staff member, you have access to a range of benefit options and can elect the coverage needed for you and your eligible family members. 

• Health Premium Rate Increase –  11% increase
• Dental Premium Rate Increase - 9.2% increase, following three years without an increase
• Vision Premium Rate Decrease – No increase - 
• Employee-only/all hourly plans medical premium contribution rate - Increase in contribution rate from 5% to 7.5% for salaried faculty and staff with employee-only coverage and all hourly employee plans
• Individual annual medical deductible - Increase from $500 to $750
• Individual out-of-pocket maximum - Increase from $3,500 to $5,000
• GLP-1 medications for weight loss only - No longer covered under the HWS pharmacy benefit in light of manufacturer and marketplace costs

For medical, dental and vision 2027 rates please click below.

2027 Faculty/Administrative Rates
2027 Administrative Hourly Rates

Understanding the changes

These adjustments follow a comprehensive review of health care costs, plan utilization and benefits offered by peer institutions. Changes to GLP-1 prescription drug coverage, the annual deductible, and the out-of-pocket maximum reduced overall premium costs by approximately 4% from an initial estimated premium increase of 15%.

Employees who use GLP-1 medications specifically for weight loss may explore options available directly through manufacturers and other vendors. HR and our benefits partners are here to support this transition. Please see the accompanying information about alternative purchasing programs.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) - Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts will default to No Contribution, so you must elect an appropriate contribution each year if you wish to utilize either of these.

• Hobart and William Smith Colleges utilizes Lifetime Benefit Solutions (LBS) to administer our Flexible Spending Account.
• For 2027, the FSA maximum contribution limit is $3,500. Dependent care FSA annual limit is $7,500.

Medicare & Individual Health Insurance Guidance

More details on open enrollment changes and offerings can be found at the links below.

2027 Excellus BCBS Medical Summary
2027 Excellus Dental High Summary
2027 Excellus Dental Low Summary
2027 EyeMed Vision Summary

TrueScripts Benefits Guide
TruScripts Formulary (Effective January 1, 2027, GLP-1 medications prescribed for weight loss, including Zepbound, Wegovy, Saxenda, Foundayo, and all other existing and new GLP-1 weight-loss medications, will no longer be covered under the HWS TrueScripts prescription drug formulary.)
TrueScripts Q&A

MORE Information

Qualifying Life Event Change
Paid Family Leave (PFL)

VENDOR INFORMATION

Health Insurance
Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield
www.excellusbcbs.com/hws
Customer Service 800-499-1275

Pharmacy
TrueScripts
TrueScripts Prescription Benefit Management
RX Customer Service:  1-844-257-1955
Email: TrueScripts | Contact Us

Dental Insurance
Dental Blue Plan
https://www.excellusbcbs.com/
Customer Service 800-499-1275

Vision Insurance
Insight Network
Eyemed.com

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Lifetime Benefit Solutions
www.lifetimebenefitsolutions.com/members/login
Customer Service: 1-800-327-7130

Insurance Enrollment
Consiliarium Group
http://www.employeenavigator.com/benefits/account/login
Customer Service 1-844-890-7955
Email: info@consiliariumgroup.com

Retirement
TIAA
www.tiaa.org
Customer Service 800-842-2252

Transamerica
www.trsretire.com/
Customer Service

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Bree Health
Homepage - Bree Health
888-868-9790
Company ID: 8956