Premiums rise in 2027 for AlaskaCare retirees' dental, vision and hearing plans

State retirees enrolled in AlaskaCare's dental-vision-audio plans, which cover dental, vision and hearing care, will pay more next year, the Division of Retirement and Benefits said this week. Monthly premiums go up for every coverage level in both plans starting Jan. 1.

For retirees in the state's defined benefit pension plans, retiree-only coverage will cost $83 a month, up from $77 this year in the Standard plan and $80 in the Legacy plan, according to the division's rate table. Family coverage rises to $233, from $219 and $225.

Premiums also rose this year. Standard retiree-only coverage cost $71 a month in 2025, so it will have gone up $12 in two years.

In 2025 and 2026, the Legacy plan cost a few dollars more. Next year, the two will cost the same. The benefits aren't changing. The Standard plan pays up to $3,000 a year for dental care and uses the VSP vision network, though members who go out of network generally pay more than they would under Legacy. The Legacy plan pays up to $2,000 and has no vision network, so members generally pay up front and file for reimbursement, according to the enrollment guide. Hearing benefits are the same in both.

Premiums are reviewed regularly "to reflect claims experience and ensure the long-term sustainability of the plans," the division said.

Retirees in the defined contribution plan, and those who pay by direct bill, pay slightly more because their rates include a 2% administrative fee. Their retiree-only coverage rises to $84.66 a month.

Retirees already in either plan can switch plans or add dependents during open enrollment, Nov. 4 to Nov. 25 at 5 pm, online at AlaskaCare.gov/DVA. Those who do nothing keep their current plan at the new rate. Open enrollment isn't available to retirees who aren't already in one of the plans.