Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Log in to the Employee Self Service (ESS) portal to review information about your benefits under Employee Notifications. Your Notification will confirm your benefit eligibility and Benefit Group (A, B, C, D, or E). Your Benefit Group tells you which memo(s) you should read.
2. Follow the link in the Notification to this webpage. The Open Enrollment page is where you’ll find materials for the 2027 Plan Year, including the packet of memos specific to your Benefit Group and additional resources to help you make informed decisions about health, dental, and vision insurance. If after reviewing the Open Enrollment materials you decide you will not make any changes to health, dental, or vision insurance, you do not need to do anything else. If no changes are submitted, any existing enrollment(s) will continue automatically into 2027 at 2027 rates.
3. If you are planning to enroll in, change, or cancel health, dental, and/or vision insurance, follow the instructions on how to do so outlined the appropriate sections of this webpage, below. This includes uploading any dependent verification documents for health insurance, if applicable.

Questions? 

Your best first resource is the Open Enrollment FAQ! If your question isn't answered by the FAQ and your Payroll Clerk refers you to HR, please reach out to the Benefits Team at benefits@cityofmadison.com or (608) 266-4615.

To save resources and better serve our employees, the City has moved to providing Open Enrollment packets digitally.  A courtesy email will be sent on the first day of each Open Enrollment period to all employees with an email address on file in MUNIS. This email directs employees to log on to Employee Self Service (ESS) to view the Open Enrollment Notification, which provides relevant information (including Benefit Groups for Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance) and links to the Human Resources Open Enrollment webpage.

After you have confirmed your Benefit Group in the ESS Notification, please read and review the packet for your Benefit Group below:

• Group A: Permanent Full-Time (100% FTE) Employees: Health, Dental, Vision
  • This group also includes limited-term full-time and acting full-time employees, the Mayor, and the Municipal Court Judge
• Group B: WRS-Eligible Permanent Less than Full-Time Employees: Health, Dental, Vision
  • This group also includes WRS-Eligible Council Members
• Group C: Teamsters-represented Metro Transit Employees in Compensation Groups (CGs) 41 and 42 only: Health, Dental, Vision
• Group D: WRS-Eligible Hourly Employees: Health Only
  • This does not include CG 28 IATSE, as IATSE members do not participate in the City's Health Insurance Program
• Group E: Non-WRS Permanent Less than Full-Time Employees: Dental and Vision only
  • This group also includes Non-WRS Council Members

Note: even if you are not making changes, make sure to read your memo(s). Premium rates for 2027 are included in the memo packet for your Benefit Group and are also published separately on this webpage.

• If you are eligible for health insurance, be sure to also review the 2027 Health Benefits Decision Guide to find out what's changing in 2027.

If you do not want to make change(s) to existing health insurance coverage, no action is required. If no change(s) are submitted, your existing enrollment(s) will continue into 2027 at 2027 rates.

If you want to enroll in, make changes to, or cancel City health insurance for the 2027 Plan Year, you will need to submit your change via the My Insurance Benefits portal online by the Open Enrollment deadline.

Recommendations:

• Log in to My Insurance Benefits as soon as possible to make sure you can access the portal. Do not wait until the last minute! This is primarily because you need a MyWisconsin ID to access My Insurance Benefits. MyWisconsin ID is separate from all City login credentials, and can take 1-2 days to finish processing after you set up an account - which means that, if you wait until the last minute, you may miss the deadline while your MyWisconsin ID finishes configuring.
• Review the My Insurance Benefits FAQ for answers to common questions about the My Insurance Benefits portal.
• Ignore the premium rates listed in the portal - they do not include the employer premium contribution. Review the ratesheets on this webpage (and in your memo packet) for accurate 2027 rates for City employees.
• Review the Changing Health Coverage page for instructions on how to submit change(s) to health insurance via My Insurance Benefits.
• If you are newly adding a spouse, (step)child, or legal ward to your health insurance for the 2027 Plan Year, make sure you have proof of marriage/parenthood/guardianship documentation ready to upload to the portal. ETF now requires dependent verification for all newly added spouse/dependent(s), including Open Enrollment changes.
• If you need to request a paper form as a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please reach out to Occupational Accommodations Specialist Leah Reinardy at (608) 267-1156 or lreinardy@cityofmadison.com. 

Linked below are several pertinent resources as you consider making changes to health insurance during Open Enrollment. The most important resources are indicated in bold.

• Health Insurance Memo (with ratesheet): The City's health insurance memo, also included in the packet for eligible Benefit Group(s)
• ETF 2027 Health Benefits Decision Guide: Please note that only the health and pharmacy benefit information applies to City employees
  • For a more detailed breakdown of the items in the coverage summary on page 4 of the Decision Guide, we recommend you review the 2027 Schedule of Benefits for Program Option 14.
  • For the most detailed breakdown of coverage information for all Group Health Insurance Program options through ETF, including for Program Option 14, we recommend you review the 2027 Uniform Benefits Certificate of Coverage.
• ETF's 2027 Health Plan Search: Includes provider directories, summaries, and contact information for all available plans
• City of Madison Open Enrollment FAQ: This FAQ pulls together the most common questions asked about Open Enrollment!
• ETF Program Option 14: Local Deductible without Dental - 2027 Plan Year: General information for our group health insurance Program Option via ETF
• Meet Navitus: A video from ETF on our pharmacy benefit manager, Navitus
• 2027 Pharmacy Benefit Certificate of Coverage: an in-depth resource on ETF's Pharmacy benefit
• Pharmacy benefit vaccination information: vaccinations are available at in-network pharmacies at no cost to participants
• ETF Video Library: Online benefits forums, on-demand videos, and other recorded or interactive resources from ETF, including resources about the 2027 Plan Year and Open Enrollment
• ETF's Notice of Privacy Practices
• ETF's Continuation of Coverage Rights (COBRA information)

Please see below for ratesheets for the 2027 Plan Year. If you are eligible for City health insurance, health insurance premiums are also provided in the packet for your Benefit Group after the health insurance memo.

• Employee contributions to health insurance premiums are deducted from the first paycheck of each month for that month's coverage. For example, the employee contribution to the premium for January 2027 coverage will be deducted from the 1/15/2027 paycheck.
• For more information on health premium increases for the 2027 Plan Year, please review ETF's Reasons for Health Premium Increases. This page also includes contact information for the Group Insurance Board (GIB), with whom participants in the Group Health Insurance Program can lodge formal comments and concerns. Information is also available in the City's Open Enrollment FAQ.

Ratesheets

• Detailed ratesheet for permanent full-time employees: includes information for employees in all Compensation Groups (CGs), including CG41/CG42.
  • Page 2 includes premiums for all health plan options offered through ETF in 2027, and instructions on how to calculate employee premiums for option(s) not broken out into employee/employer splits on page 1.
• Expanded ratesheets for permanent part-time employees (hourly employees eligible for health insurance should reference the 25%FTE and 50%FTE rows):
  • General municipal employees, Police, and Fire (all Compensation Groups except 41 and 42)
  • Metro Transit (Compensation Groups 41 and 42 only)

If you do not want to make change(s) to existing dental and/or vision insurance coverage, no action is required. If no change(s) are submitted, your existing enrollment(s) will continue into 2027 at 2027 rates.

If you want to enroll in, make changes to, or cancel City dental and/or vision insurance for the 2027 Plan Year, you will need to make your change via the Employee Self Service (ESS) portal online. Paper/PDF forms are not accepted for dental/vision Open Enrollment changes, enrollments, or cancellations.

After logging in to ESS, instructions on how to submit Open Enrollment changes are available at the top of the Resource Menu in the upper-right corner, and are also linked below:

• Instructions for 2027 Dental/Vision Changes via ESS

ESS Security Update Reminder

In June 2025, the City implemented a second level of authentication for ESS logins. In addition to your username and password, ESS login now also requires employees to answer two security questions. If you have not yet set your security questions, you will be prompted to do so when you next log in to ESS.

Human Resources strongly recommends you attempt to log in to ESS early in the Open Enrollment period in case you need to reset your password or security questions. The reset process may take longer than you think, and missing the Open Enrollment deadline due to technical difficulties will not grant you a grace period.

Listed below are resources related to dental insurance.

• Dental Insurance Memo: The City's dental insurance memo, also included in the packet for eligible Benefit Group(s)
• Dental Insurance Coverage Summary (English): A summary of the City's group dental insurance benefits; also available in Spanish/en Español
• Video Overview of Delta Dental: A detailed presentation on the City's Delta Dental benefit
• Dental Provider search function: Search for an in-network provider with DeltaDental
  • The PPO Network provides the greatest level of coverage
  • There's also a printable flyer with more information about finding an in-network provider!
• Delta Dental Enrollment Guide: Detailed information about Delta Dental
•  Delta Dental Online Services: How to register for and take advantage of Delta Dental's online portal
• Highlights of our dental insurance include:
  • CheckUp Plus: Allows enrollees to have diagnostic and preventive services without those costs being applied to the individual annual maximum.
  • Evidence-Based Integrated Care Plan (EBICP): Provides additional cleaning(s) and/or fluoride treatments to individuals with specific medical conditions.
  • Teledentistry: In emergency circumstances, enrollees can access virtual dentistry services.
  • Member Perks: Including discounts on vision care, hearing care, specific oral hygiene products, and more!
  • The Additional Health Care Needs Benefit: Covers additional services at the dentist for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Please contact the Benefits Team for more information.
• City of Madison Open Enrollment FAQ: Pulls together the most common questions asked about Open Enrollment.

Listed below are resources related to vision insurance.

• Vision Insurance Memo: The City's vision insurance memo, also included in the packet for eligible Benefit Group(s)
• Vision Insurance Coverage Summary (English): A summary of the City's group vision insurance benefits; also available in Spanish/en Español
• Video Overview of Delta Vision: A detailed presentation on the City's Delta Vision benefit
• Vision Provider search function: Search for an in-network provider with DeltaVision
  • NEW FOR 2027: We are switching from the Select Network to the Insight Network!
• Delta Vision Enrollment Guide: Detailed information about Delta Vision
• Delta Vision Online Services: How to register for and take advantage of Delta Vision's online portal
• City of Madison Open Enrollment FAQ: Pulls together the most common questions asked about Open Enrollment