2027 Annual Open Enrollment

An email will be sent to all eligible employee’s ISD 917 email address with enrollment instructions as open enrollment nears from APPRIZE/BSWIFT.  If you do not see the email, the website link to the enrollment system is here:  Apprize Enrollment Website

• Passwords will be reset for everyone to assist in ease of logging in for this enrollment period. 
• Staff also have the ability to reset their passwords on the website to the last 4 digits of their social security number.
• If you have issues logging in, please contact Benefits@isd917.org. 

Once your enrollment is completed, you will have the option to print, save or email a confirmation of your enrollment to keep for your records.  Any elections not finalized or submitted cannot be accepted. 

Please confirm your elections are submitted correctly prior to the end of open enrollment.

• Apprize Enrolment Guide

Please read through all information on this page to familiarize yourself with changes and updates to insurance programs for 2027.

• Collective Bargaining Contract changes/updates for 2027 insurance and medical plan options:
  • Teachers and those in the Teacher contract
    • Anyone in the Teacher bargaining group/contract will no longer have access to the COPAY medical plan as of 1/1/27 and are strongly encouraged to review enrollment. 
    • The district will try to migrate you to the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Health Savings Account (HSA) if no action is taken to ensure continued coverage.  However, please review the plan to ensure you are familiar with how a high deductible plan works compared to the COPAY medical plan.
    • The district will also automatically enroll you into a Health Savings Account (HSA).  This will be done unless employees complete a form to opt out of being auto-enrolled.  Should you need this form, please email benefits@isd917.org.
  • Education Support Professionals (ESP’s)
    • Starting 7/1/26, no new enrollment was accepted into the COPAY plan.  Any new elections will have to be into the remaining High Deductible Health Plan with HSA plan option.
    • Existing enrollments in the COPAY plan will be grandfathered into 2027 if you choose to remain for one final year in the COPAY medical plan.  However, this will be the final year of any enrollment options into this plan.  It is encouraged that ESP staff review the High Deductible Medical Plan with HSA to familiarize themselves with the plan and consider moving to the plan in 2027 to begin building your Health Savings Account (HSA).
    • Any staff in the ESP group that switches from the COPAY plan to the HDHP plan for 2027 through open enrollment will get a one time option to receive the full district contribution in January.  This one time contribution will be in one lump sum instead of spread over all paychecks per your bargaining agreement.
      • In other words, the district contributes $1,000 (single coverage tier) or $2,000 (family coverage tier) annually into an HSA account for staff.  This is normally prorated over each paycheck in a calendar year.  To assist in the transition with no longer having the COPAY plan as an option, the union and district have agreed to frontload the full HSA amount right away in January to help with any medical expenses.
  • All other staff and bargain unit groups have discontinued the COPAY plan as an enrollment option and will only have the ability to enroll in the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with HSA.

• HITA Bid Year  and Results – Health insurance transition to Medica from UHC
  • Every 24 months (2 years) school districts are required to take part in a HITA (Health Insurance Transparency Act) bidding process for insurance benefits.  This is a Minnesota law that regulates how public school districts handle group health insurance bidding.  The district completed this process earlier in the school year in a collaborative effort between the insurance committe, our benefit broker and district leadership.
  • Through this process and with a finalized approval from the school board, the district will be moving medical insurance vendors back to Medica starting January 1, 2027.
    • The insurance committe solicted various feedback from staff in the bidding process and the end result is a move to Medica in 2027.  A part in this decision was the more personalized feel Medica provided staff compared to our prior coverage with UHC.
    • The move will result in a roughly 3% increase in costs for 2027 compared to some other double digit increase proposals and rates seen in other school districts.
    • The plan will be designed to mirror current coverage as it is today with no plan changes other than Medica now administering our plan at this time.
    • Medica has provided a member website for staff to review information and check provider status here:  WEBSITE

• All other benefit costs and benefit vendor providers will remain the same in 2027 with no plan changes outside of health insurance moving to Medica in 2027.
  • Note:  Even without a cost change, rates may change depending on your bargaining group contract if funding amounts changed for 1/1/27.  See the cost/rate information section for details.

• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) will again be in place for staff to enroll in for the 2027 calendar year
  • A Dependent Care FSA lets you set aside money from your paycheck before taxes to pay for costs related to caring for eligible dependents (child care or adult dependent care).
  • The limits to set aside for 2027 remain at $7,500 (or $3,750 if married and filing separate tax returns). 
  • Any election staff make to add this benefit will see their annual amount divided over their checks in the 2027 calendar year (including the start of next school year) to meet the total annual amount elected.
  • Staff can only submit for claims from the account once money has been deposited in the account.  You are not able to pull funds from the account beyond what has been contributed.
  • Know the rules and eligibility requirements before you enroll in a dependent care flexible spending account.
    • More information on eligible dependents, eligible expenses, spending deadlines and how to access the funds are included in the enrollment system and linked here:  
    • HealthEquity Dependent Care FSA FAQ Page
    • Dependent Flex Account Member Flyer
    • HealthEquity Mobile App Flyer

• 2027 Insurance Benefits Guide
  • A comprehensive guide to review more information on each availble benefit with the district that you can enroll, change or waive during open enrollment.
  • The guide will include helpful information on terminolgy, resource links and more.
• 2027 Insurance Brainshark Video
  • This is a self-paced video with information on all benefit offerings available during open enrollment.  It is essentially  another way to review information on insurance programs.
• 2027 Insurance Cost Sheets
  • This is a link with current rates for insurance programs offered through the district and broke down into each bargaining unit to see your specific group rates on a monthy or per paycheck basis.