Open Enrollment is Oct. 12–30. Here’s what to do, and one thing to compare first.
If you do nothing, the State Health Plan puts you in the Standard PPO for 2027. To choose the Plus PPO or change who’s covered, you have to act before Oct. 30. While you’re considering your health plan, now is the perfect time to see whether SEANC’s supplemental insurance programs can save you money.
Your Open Enrollment checklist
Five things, in order. Tick them off as you go.
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Decide: Standard PPO or Plus PPOEveryone is automatically enrolled in the Standard PPO. If you want the Plus PPO, you have to choose it during the window. Compare both on the State Health Plan’s 2027 page.
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Check your dependentsAdding or removing a spouse or child only happens during Open Enrollment or after a qualifying life event. Confirm everyone who should be covered is listed.
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Look up your doctors in the new provider tiersStarting Jan. 1, 2027, providers are grouped into Preferred, Access, Non-Preferred and Out-of-Network tiers. What you pay depends on the tier. Check the doctors you see most.
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Look at SEANC dental and vision before you decideYou’ll be asked about dental and vision this month. SEANC’s Delta Dental and Spectera plans are affordable, competitive and available by payroll deduction, and you can enroll any month of the year. See what they cover.
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Sit in on a SEANC insurance webinarFour free sessions, two at lunch and two in the evening, on what SEANC dental, vision, accident and disability coverage costs and covers. Not about the health plan; that’s the State’s job. Pick a date.
SEANC doesn’t run the State Health Plan or NCFlex. Every health plan decision happens on the State’s site. For questions about the PPO plans or the new provider tiers, call the State Health Plan or visit shpnc.gov. For questions about SEANC coverage, keep reading.
Worth a look while you’re at it
Open Enrollment is when you’re already thinking about coverage. These SEANC programs are the ones members ask about most this time of year.
Dental
Delta Dental
- Preventive care covered 100%, two visits a year, no deductible
- Annual deductible of $25 to $50
- Orthodontia coverage available
Basic Plan from $24.64 a month
Vision
Spectera
- Eye exams, lenses, frames and contacts
- Enhanced option covers lens extras like progressives
- Discounts on laser correction and hearing aids
Nationwide network of providers
Accident & critical illness
Aflac Accident and BenExtend
- Pays cash directly to you, not the hospital
- Use it for deductibles, time off work, anything
- Covers what a health plan doesn’t
Group rates for SEANC members
Payroll deduction
Available through most state agencies and the retirement system. It comes out before you see it, the same as your other benefits.
No annual re-enrollment
Pick a SEANC plan once and it stays. There’s no window to miss. Forms received by the 10th of the month take effect the 1st of the next.
The glasses I have on right now were $438, and I only had to pay $109. I recommend SEANC’s Spectera plan to everyone I know.SEANC member
I have the dental plan through Delta Dental, which my children are on, and got a $2,000 rebate on their braces.SEANC member
SEANC insurance webinars
Free, on Zoom, about 45 minutes. Each session walks through SEANC’s dental, vision, accident and disability plans, what they cost and what they cover. Bring questions. These sessions don’t cover the State Health Plan; for that, go to shpnc.gov.
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Oct. 6Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.Evening sessionDental and vision: affordable group rates for SEANC members.
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Oct. 13Tuesday, noonLunch & LearnAccident and BenExtend: cash coverage for what a health plan doesn’t pay.
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Oct. 20Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.Evening sessionDental and vision, repeated for anyone who missed Oct. 6.
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Oct. 27Tuesday, noonLunch & LearnThe full lineup: short-term disability, life, long-term care and more.
See every SEANC insurance program
Dental, vision, accident, short-term disability, life, long-term care, pet, legal, identity theft and more. Group rates, payroll deduction, and a real person in Raleigh who answers the phone.
SEANC Insurance Department: 919-792-3350 or 800-222-2758, or email insurance@seanc.org.
The State Employees Association of North Carolina is not affiliated with the North Carolina State Health Plan, NCFlex or the Office of State Human Resources. Open Enrollment dates and plan details are published by the State Health Plan at shpnc.gov and may change. SEANC insurance programs are offered through third-party carriers; see each plan’s materials for full terms.