WELS VEBA Enrollment

2026 Open Enrollment

The WELS VEBA Commission is pleased to offer an open enrollment for the WELS VEBA Group Health Care Plan for the 2026 plan year.

Enrollment will be held from November 3 through December 1, 2025.

What is an open enrollment?

Open enrollment means that enrollment is available to eligible workers at all WELS and ELS sponsoring organizations, including sponsoring organizations that do not currently participate in WELS VEBA.

During this open enrollment, eligible workers will have the opportunity to make the following elections:

  • Enroll for new WELS VEBA Medical and/or Dental Benefits;
  • Add or remove any eligible family members under existing WELS VEBA Medical and/or Dental Benefits;
  • Change to a different deductible option under existing WELS VEBA Medical Benefits; and
  • Apply for Group Term Life Insurance and/or Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance.

Supporting your workers

As a sponsoring organization representative, you play an important role in engaging eligible workers with the benefits of WELS VEBA and supporting them through the decisions they have to make. As a result, we encourage you to be proactive with your workers and support them at this important time. We hope this website supports your organization in making your benefit funding decisions for 2026 and provides a useful reference when communicating enrollment to your workers.

Please remember that any open enrollment is held solely at the discretion of the WELS VEBA Commission and is not held every year–encourage your eligible workers to carefully consider this opportunity.

What has changed for 2026?

The following summarizes the most significant changes effective January 1, 2026.

WELS VEBA Medical Benefits

  • The 2026 rate change for WELS VEBA Medical Benefits will vary by organization and will range from a 1.3% increase to a 21.0% increase. The rate change is comprised of a 8.5% increase for health care cost inflation and an update to the WELS VEBA geographic rate regions for all areas of the country. Details regarding the 2026 rate change are available on this page.
  • The Plan Option 3 deductible amounts will increase to $3,400/individual and $6,800/family per IRS regulations to remain qualified for use with a Health Savings Account (HSA).
  • Anthem will mail new ID cards to all primary subscribers in December 2025.
  • The Anthem 24/7 Nurseline telephone service will be discontinued as of January 1, 2026.
  • A new website is available at express-scripts.com/welsveba for pharmacy benefit information, medication pricing, and an in-network pharmacy locator.  Eligible workers and their family members can use this website even if they are not yet WELS VEBA members.

Dental Benefits

Monthly premium rates for Dental Benefits will increase by 2% for 2026 and are available on this page.

Long-Term Disability

Monthly premium rates for Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance will not change for 2026.  The 2025 rates for Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance will remain in effect for 2026. Please note that the premium amount due for a covered worker’s Voluntary Long-Term Disability Insurance may change in 2026 if the worker’s covered compensation changes.

Group Term Life

Monthly premium rates for Group Term Life Insurance will not change for 2026.  The 2025 rates for Group Term Life Insurance will remain in effect for 2026.  Please note that the premium amount due for a covered worker’s Group Term Life Insurance may change in 2026 if the worker or worker’s spouse attains a new age band, or if the coverage amount changes for a worker, spouse, or child.

2026 Rates for WELS Benefit Plans

What do I need to do?

We encourage you to support your workers during this open enrollment period. The checklist below lists a number of important things to consider over the next few weeks:

  • Inform workers of your organization’s financial support for 2026 WELS VEBA coverage.
  • Inform workers of the 2026 open enrollment.
  • Ensure workers receive their WELS VEBA open enrollment packet by the end of October.
  • Encourage workers to consider their options carefully.
  • Direct workers to contact the WELS Benefits Service Center if they have questions.
  • Review January 2026 invoice(s) to be sure worker elections match expectations and that your payment reflects the total amount due.

How do my workers enroll?

All benefit elections must be made by eligible workers through the WELS Benefits Service Center, either by telephone at 1-800-487-8322 (option 1) or online at wels.bswift.com. The WELS Benefits Service Center will begin accepting elections as part of the open enrollment on November 3.

Important Notes

  • As a sponsoring organization representative, you cannot elect benefits or make changes on behalf of your workers.
  • If no changes are desired, no action is required as 2025 benefit elections will automatically be carried over to 2026.
  • A worker does not need to be enrolled in WELS VEBA Medical Benefits to enroll for Dental Benefits or apply for Group Term Life or Long-Term Disability Insurance.
  • Enrollment is for the 2026 plan year; any changes made will become effective January 1, 2026.

What happens next?

Eligible workers at your organization will be mailed a packet of enrollment materials between October 20 and October 31.  This packet will include an enrollment guide and additional information regarding the open enrollment period.  The 2026 benefits guide is available here.