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Microsoft is continually growing and evolving to meet the moment, and so are your benefits. Take a moment to explore important updates for 2026, including a new dental provider, a new process for covering dependents, changes to medical plan options for some employees, and more.
Open Enrollment is your opportunity to:
Open Enrollment runs from Monday, November 3, through Friday, November 21 at 11:59 PM PT. This is your only chance to change your benefits for 2026—unless you experience a qualifying life event—so it's important to evaluate your coverage, needs, and options. If you take no action during Open Enrollment, most of your elections from the previous year will roll over except for the healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts (General Purpose and Limited Purpose) and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, which require you to re-enroll each year. And if you're currently enrolled in the Health Connect Plan, which is being discontinued after this year, you'll need to select another plan for 2026.
Open Enrollment runs from Monday, November 3, through Friday, November 21 at 11:59 PM PT. This is your only chance to change your benefits for 2026—unless you experience a qualifying life event—so it's important to evaluate your coverage, needs, and options. If you take no action during Open Enrollment, most of your elections from the previous year will roll over except for the healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts (General Purpose and Limited Purpose) and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, which require you to re-enroll each year. And if you're currently enrolled in the Health Connect Plan, which is being discontinued after this year, you'll need to select another plan for 2026.
Here's a summary of the changes taking effect January 1, 2026:
Delta Dental will replace Premera as our dental provider in 2026. The Dental Plus Plan isn't changing, but the transition to Delta Dental will bring you a new and improved experience. You'll have access to Delta Dental's nationwide network—the largest in the country—in addition to the greatest coverage you've come to expect from the plan.
In 2026, the annual contribution limit for the Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) will increase from $5,000 to $7,500 per household, and the limit for the General Purpose and Limited Purpose Healthcare FSAs will increase from $3,200 to $3,300—helping you save for care while reducing your taxable income.
In 2026, the annual contribution limit for the Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) will increase from $5,000 to $7,500 per household, and the limit for the General Purpose and Limited Purpose Healthcare FSAs will increase from $3,200 to $3,300—helping you save for care while reducing your taxable income.
Eastside Health Network (EHN), the provider group that staffs the Health Connect Plan (HCP), is dissolving, so we will be unable to offer the plan starting in January 2026. If you're currently enrolled in the Health Connect Plan, don't worry—your existing coverage will continue through the rest of this calendar year, and you have several great medical plan alternatives to explore, including our recently added Surest Plan—a copay-based plan.
The spousal surcharge is the monthly cost for spouses and domestic partners to waive their own employer's benefits and enroll as the primary participant in a Microsoft health plan. For the past 20 years, we have maintained the same surcharge rate of $150 per month; however, in order to continue providing a sustainable, comprehensive and competitive benefits package, we will be making a slight adjustment to the spousal surcharge rate. As a result, the spousal surcharge is increasing to $250 per month starting in 2026.
If your spouse or domestic partner who is currently enrolled in Microsoft medical coverage does not have access to other employer coverage or is choosing to enroll in Microsoft coverage as secondary, they can continue this enrollment at no additional cost.
The spousal surcharge is the monthly cost for spouses and domestic partners to waive their own employer's benefits and enroll as the primary participant in a Microsoft health plan. For the past 20 years, we have maintained the same surcharge rate of $150 per month; however, in order to continue providing a sustainable, comprehensive and competitive benefits package, we will be making a slight adjustment to the spousal surcharge rate. As a result, the spousal surcharge is increasing to $250 per month starting in 2026.
If your spouse or domestic partner who is currently enrolled in Microsoft medical coverage does not have access to other employer coverage or is choosing to enroll in Microsoft coverage as secondary, they can continue this enrollment at no additional cost.
Beginning October 8, 2025, you’ll need to complete a one-time verification if you want to add a new dependent to your existing coverage.
To maintain plan compliance and preserve the integrity of our benefits programs, starting October 8, employees who experience a qualifying life event—including, but not limited to, marriage, new domestic partnerships, birth, or adoption—will be required to provide documentation of the event. Additionally, if a dependent is added during the Open Enrollment window (11/3-11/21) for coverage effective January 1, 2026, you will also need to provide proof of the dependent eligibility during the Open Enrollment process.
Beginning February 2026, Microsoft will conduct a full dependent verification audit. As part of this one-time audit, employees with dependents that were added to coverage before October 8th, 2025, will be required to provide documentation confirming their eligibility. Dependents who are not verified by March 6 will be removed from Microsoft benefit plans and ineligible for COBRA coverage.
The MyChoice mobile app lets you enroll in your benefits right from your phone—and it's also the easiest way to provide documentation for verifying your dependents ahead of the upcoming audit. To learn more about the app and download it, visit aka.ms/BenefitsEnroll, find the MyChoice mobile app link, and select "Access the App."
The Kaiser Health Maintenance Organization Plan will be unavailable to interns starting in January 2026, but there are other great medical plans to explore, including our copay-based Surest Plan.
If you earned $145,000+ last year and are aged 50 or older, your Microsoft 401(k) catch-up contributions effective January 1, 2026 must be Roth (after-tax) contributions under federal law (the "SECURE 2.0" legislation). Also, if you'll be between the ages of 60-63 by December 31, 2026, you qualify for higher catch-up limits.
Due to the timing of payroll runs for 2026, hourly employees will have an additional pay period in the upcoming year, which may impact your pay and deductions.
Remember that Open Enrollment is your only chance (other than a qualifying life event) to change most of your benefits for the entire year ahead. Take some time to think through the options and how they fit your life. Your benefits are here to help you and your family navigate whatever changes the future has in store.
Make your 2026 benefits elections during the upcoming Open Enrollment period, November 3rd – 21st, at aka.ms/BenefitsEnroll.
You can also enroll using the MyChoice mobile app—just visit aka.ms/BenefitsEnroll, locate the MyChoice mobile app link, and select “Access the App.”
Check out the Open Enrollment FAQs for more information.