On January 1, rates will increase by double digits or more for some of the SHPB plans that URA members rely on.
Our unions want to help you understand your options for avoiding these increases—and maybe even saving money. But you will need to act this month during the SHBP open enrollment period.
We all know that our health plans cost too much. Our unions have been trying to control those costs without diminishing plan benefits, but unfortunately, we don’t have willing partners on the management side. The recent increases in costs for many SBHP plan premiums are primarily a state of New Jersey problem. We will bring proposals to the bargaining table when we negotiate our next contract.
But before our next contracts are negotiated, there will be large premium increases for many plans starting on January 1. If you are in the HMO plan, a high-deductible plan, or a PPO plan that ends with 15, 1525, 2030, or 2035, then you’re likely to see another double-digit increase in your payroll deductions starting on January 1, 2026. Fortunately, you have an opportunity to switch plans throughout this month, which is the annual open enrollment window. But you need to know your options.
How do you know which plan you’re in? Go to your Rutgers portal; if you’re enrolled in the SBHP, it should list your health plan’s full name. If you’re in Horizon’s Omnia, NJ Direct, or NJ Direct 2019 (union negotiated) or Aetna’s Liberty, Freedom, or Freedom 2019 (union negotiated), then you will see no increase in your payroll deductions on January 1. But if you are in NJ Direct 15, NJ Direct 1525, NJ Direct 2030, or NJ Direct 2035, we urge you to look carefully at your options and consider switching plans.
There will be a series of Health Care Clinics to review specifics of options available:
10/8 at 12pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/l4IxSA7_QTilbflNxSCdsw
10/9 at 9am: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/YpDTTtqOQgyI30pOyHLD5A
10/10 at 10am: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fvyZv0NNSUiPxxCJFpGvbw
10/10 at 3pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/676eigMFQk-xCMxYynKVSg
10/14 at 10am: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Z-0EouWPRX-O83NmkcHEYg
10/15 at 2pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BpTbhF0OT5qDsTavk4Limg
10/15 at 6pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/w6zt4FSeTBSWyjwNvkaQ0g
10/15 at 8pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Q__ahAxGSE-z2X3VEw4FwA
10/16 at 10am: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0D4RNSdiRHWI-1i0gCZk6Q
10/17 at 3pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/kFoavIWWQbyfHHYRX34LwQ
