You still have choices!

Employees will continue to have the option to choose between a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan and two High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP). Although medical premiums will increase slightly, your 2026 medical plan will include the following enhancements:

Nutritional Counseling: Mecklenburg County has increased the BlueCross and BlueShield of NC nutritional counseling benefit from 10 visits to 30 visits per benefit plan year. This enhancement provides employees and their dependents with greater access to professional support for maintaining and improving overall health.

Progyny: New this year, we are excited to offer inclusive fertility and family building benefits through Progyny, a transformative fertility, family building, and women’s health benefits solution. The Progyny benefit includes comprehensive treatment coverage through the Progyny Smart Cycle, access to top fertility specialists across the U.S., and unlimited concierge support from a dedicated Patient Care Advocate (PCA).

Mecklenburg County will continue to utilize CVS Caremark’s Enhanced National Network plan which provides better discounts at in-network pharmacies. No changes will be made to the prescription plan.

Calendar year maximums and dental premiums will stay the same in 2026. The calendar year maximum for the Standard Dental plan is $1,500 and $2,000 for the Enhanced Dental plan. In addition, the Enhanced Dental Plan will continue to cover implants and adult orthodontia.

Please review your elections! Add or remove our long-term disability buy-up option. Note: If you have five or more years with the NC Retirement System, you are not eligible to participate in Mecklenburg County's Long-Term Disability. 

Vision premiums will be increasing for 2026. The Standard and Enhanced options are still available and there is no copay for a routine eye exam with either plan.

Rates will remain the same for 2026. Make any necessary changes to your supplemental life insurance amounts, and/or changes to your basic spouse and/or child(ren), supplemental spouse and child(ren) amounts. If you are enrolling your spouse and child(ren) in our supplemental life insurance for the first time, you will need to elect basic life for your spouse and child(ren). Note: Only child(ren) under the age of 26 are eligible for life insurance unless they are disabled. Reminder: Don’t forget to update you beneficiary information.

Pet insurance is offered through Nationwide. If you would like to enroll, you can do so online or by calling 877-738-7874.

Health Savings Account (HSA): If you are choosing one of our High-Deductible Health Plans (HDHP), then please be advised:▪HSA contribution limits have increased to $4,400 (individual coverage) and $8,750 (all other coverage tiers).▪

Those 55 and older can contribute an additional $1,000 annually to their HSA.▪Mecklenburg County’s contributions: If you are choosing a HDHP, the County’s contributions will continue to range from $250 - $800.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Contribution limits are reflected as follows:▪If you are choosing our Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), then you can enroll in our Health Care FSA; contributions limit is: $3,400▪Dependent contribution limit is: $7,500

Commuter Reimbursement Benefits: Contribution limit is reflected as follows:▪$340 a month

One of the best and most efficient ways to decrease taxable income and increase spendable income is by taking advantage of supplemental life health insurance. Colonial Life Insurance continues to offer the following employee benefits:

Accident: Provides coverage for injuries and services from everyday mishaps to catastrophic events, including injury, treatment and recovery care benefits.

Cancer: Cancer insurance provides benefits to help with cancer expenses - from diagnosis to recovery.

Critical Illness: Critical illness insurance helps provide financial support with a lump sum benefit that you can use where you need it the most.

Hospital Confinement Indemnity (Medical Bridge): No matter how well you plan, you can't predict when sudden medical expenses could impact your way of life. Health insurance helps, but it doesn't cover everything. 

NC 401(k) Plan by Empower

The NC 401(k) Plan is a retirement savings plan administered by the North Carolina Department
of State Treasurer through Empower, and available exclusively to North Carolina public employees who are actively contributing to one of the NC Retirement Systems.

NC 457 Plans

The NC 457 Plan is a deferred compensation plan administered by the North Carolina Department
of State Treasurer through Empower and MissionSquare, and available exclusively to those North Carolina public employees whose
employers offer the plan.

The Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System (LGERS)

The Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System (LGERS) is a pension plan administered by the North Carolina Total Retirement Plans within the Department of State Treasurer (DST). Eligible employees automatically have membership begin upon their hire date. Employees are required to contribute 6% of their bi-weekly compensation to their own LGERS account.