2026 Open Enrollment

Benefits Guidebook | 2026 OE Presentation | HSA, FSA, DCFSA | Benefitfocus Enrollment System | Benefits Video Library | Virtual Benefits Fair | Additional Resources


Enrollment Period: Monday, Oct. 6, 2025 - Friday, Oct. 24, 2025

The College’s benefits open enrollment period runs from Monday, Oct. 6, 2025 through Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. The yearly open enrollment period is your opportunity to make changes to your medical, dental, vision, and other benefit elections, enroll or disenroll yourself and your dependents, update your domestic partnership and marital status, add or remove beneficiaries, and more.

Unless you experience a qualifying life event, this is the only time each year when you can make these changes. The choices you make during the open enrollment period will take effect on January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.

PLEASE be aware that THE DEADLINE FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT IS FRIDAY, OCT. 24, 2025., NO OPEN ENROLLMENT CHANGES WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DATE.

Benefits Guidebook

2026 Open Enrollment Overview Presentation

Health Savings Account (HSA), Medical Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Dependent Care Account (DCFSA), Commuter FSA

If you are enrolled or newly enrolling in one of the College’s High Deductible Health Plans (the Enhanced HDHP or the Basic HDHP), you need to actively enroll in the associated Health Savings Account (HSA) during the open enrollment period, and be in a .75 or greater FTE status,  in order to be eligible to receive the College’s contribution. You do not need to make your own contributions to receive the College contribution, but you do need to enroll in the HSA. 

HSA contribution limits for 2026 are as follows (these maximums include the above HSA contribution the College makes on your behalf. If you are age 55 or over, you can also make an annual “catch-up” contribution of up to $1,000):

  • $4,400 for employee only HDHP coverage
  • $8,750 for all other HDHP coverage tiers

You must also enroll/re-enroll in the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Medical, Limited Purpose, Dependent Care Account, Parking, and Transit FSAs to continue your participation in these benefits for the 2025 plan year.  If you do not re-enroll during open enrollment, your current participation will end with a last day of coverage on Dec. 31, 2025.

Benefitfocus Enrollment System

Our benefits enrollment system, Benefitfocus, serves as the enrollment tool for Swarthmore College employees to manage their benefits elections. Benefitfocus allows employees to learn about their benefits options, select the plans that are right for them, and easily manage their enrollment in medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. It also lets employees manage their HSA and Commuter FSA benefits, and more. Benefitfocus is also available for employees to make mid-year life event qualifying changes [PDF], as allowed by plan rules, and will act as the document repository for such changes.

Benefitfocus can be accessed on the Employee menu of mySwarthmore.  There is a slightly different look to the portal this year, putting offered benefits in categories for Company Paid Benefits, Core Benefits, and Additional Benefits.  You will need to review each section and take action on each benefit offering accordingly by following these Directions for How to Enroll In or Decline Benefits in Benefitfocus.  You may also download the Benefitfocus mobile app (Benefitplace) from the Google Play or Apple App Store; use the company code Swarthmore.

Instructions for Accessing Benefitfocus
  1. Log into your mySwarthmore account.
  2. Select the Employee menu at the top of the page.
  3. Select Benefitfocus Employee Login.
  4. Select Click Here to Enroll or Change your Benefits on the right side of the Welcome screen. You will then be directed to the Benefits Portal.
  5. Following the welcome message, click Next, then select Get Started. You will be presented with screens listing all of your current contact information and dependents (if applicable). If all information is correct, click Next through each prompt.  If your contact information is not correct on this screen, you cannot make changes in Benefitfocus.  You will need to make changes to your address, name, marital status, phone #, etc. through the mySwarthmore portal.
    1. If you do not see a dependent(s) you wish to cover listed, click the Add Dependent button to begin adding the dependent(s).
    2. If a dependent does not have a SSN please be sure to update accordingly.
  6. The next screen will list your 2026 benefit enrollment options. Any section that requires an annual election (FSA, HSA, Dependent Care, Commuter FSA), will have a box that reads Enroll Here. You will be required to finish these sections before you can complete your enrollment.
    1. If you wish to change any benefit plan, you must select the Edit Coverage option in the appropriate section. Some examples include: changing medical plan or dental plan, or enrolling in any voluntary benefits for the first time.
    2. If you wish to decline a benefit, click the Decline Coverage option on the right side of the appropriate plan section.
  7. If you wish to change medical plans, follow through the prompts to select your new medical plan and click Save.
  8. You will be offered a medical flexible spending account (or HSA if applicable), and a dependent care spending account next. Make your election or decline this benefit.
  9. The next screen will summarize your elections so far. Click Save in green.
  10. Once all sections have been completed, you will need to select the Confirm Changes at the bottom of the screen. Then you will receive an acknowledgement message stating you have successfully completed your enrollment. You will also have the option to download a copy of your Benefit Summary Report.

Benefits Video Library

Our benefits video library provides short videos that give an overview about the various benefits that are available to you and they can be viewed at any time during open enrollment or throughout the plan year.

The following are recordings of the education sessions from previous benefits fairs that still provide relevant information on College benefits and well-being services:

Virtual Benefits Fair

You may also access our virtual benefits fair at any time throughout the open enrollment period to learn more about our medical, dental, disability, retirement, and other benefits offerings. At the virtual benefits fair, you will find 2026 plan year program details, the 2026 Benefit Guidebook, information on added services from our insurance partners, educational videos on your benefits, and more helpful information about your benefits elections for the coming year.

Additional Resources & Member Portal Registration Links