Press Release

CalPERS Announces Health Plan Premiums for 2026

Issued by CalPERS [California Public Employees' Retirement System]

July 15, 2025

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The CalPERS Board of Administration approved health plan premiums for the calendar year 2026 today, with an overall weighted premium rate increase of 8.21%.

The rate increase for Basic (non-Medicare) plans will average 7.76%. Members enrolled in CalPERS' Basic Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans will have an average premium rate increase of 6.48%. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Basic plans will have an overall rate increase of 12.08%. Medicare plan premiums will see an average increase of 10.78% overall.

“The continued rise in costs across the health care landscape remains a significant challenge for purchasers such as CalPERS, but we remain committed to meeting this challenge by providing access to high-quality, equitable care that improves health outcomes while pursuing innovative strategies to manage costs,” said Ramón Rubalcava, chair of the Pension and Health Benefits Committee.

Pharmacy costs continue to drive rate changes across plans as utilization and unit costs increase, particularly with specialty and brand name drugs. For Medicare premiums, revenue changes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and increased utilization of medical services further impact costs for both Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplemental plans.

“Each year, we carefully evaluate our plans to ensure they offer high-value care that improves health outcomes, emphasizes prevention, and effectively manages costs,” said CalPERS Chief Health Director Don Moulds. “We know that premium increases can be a challenge, and Open Enrollment is a chance for members to review their benefits and select a plan that supports their health and budget.”

CalPERS will also be replacing Blue Shield’s Trio plan with Access+ HMO in Monterey County to help ensure the viability of lower cost health plan options for our membership in the face of significant regional price variation. In addition, members in the PERS Gold PPO plan can continue to receive in-patient deductible credits of up to $500 for completing an expanded menu of preventive care activities including cancer and depression screenings, vaccinations, among others. 

The following tables represent the overall percentage premium change for each health plan between 2025 and 2026 using the state, single-party premium.

CalPERS members can shop health plans and make changes during Open Enrollment, which runs September 15 through October 10. Beginning September 8, members can find Open Enrollment information on the CalPERS website and customized information in their myCalPERS accounts. Using the Search Health Plans tool in myCalPERS, members can compare plan monthly premiums and copays, and search for primary care doctors and specialists to see which plan works best for them. Premiums will take effect January 1, 2026.

About CalPERS

For more than nine decades, CalPERS has built retirement and health security for state, school, and public agency members who invest their lifework in public service. Our pension fund serves more than 2 million members in the CalPERS retirement system, making us the largest defined-benefit public pension in the nation. We also administer health benefits for more than 1.5 million members and their families, making CalPERS the nation’s largest purchaser of public employee health services behind the U.S. government.

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