Open Enrollment is your once-a-year chance to make sure your benefits fit your life and make any changes for the coming year. For 2027, we’ve added new resources to help you and your family catch health issues early, get expert support when you need it, and focus on your wellbeing.
Add or remove a dependent such as a spouse, domestic partner, or a child up to age 26.
Check your medical plan. Even if you're happy with your coverage, review the updated deductibles and copays.
Explore voluntary options like group legal, identity protection, life insurance, and long-term care coverage.
Review your beneficary designations and make any necessary changes.
Elect an FSA if you want one for 2027. FSAs don't roll over automatically: you have to re-enroll every year.
Learn More: Join an upcoming Benefits Information Session.
Open enrollment is October 26 - November 6, 2026. If you don’t make changes, your current benefit elections will stay the same for 2027, except for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), which require a new election each year. (Note that 2027 contribution limits are not yet available.)
Eligible employees and dependents will continue to have access to Lyra Mental Health and support, up to 16 Lyra-sponsored sessions per year, at no cost (previously 25 sessions in 2026).
Effective January 1, 2027, Snowflake will replace RethinkCare with expanded Lyra neurodiversity support. Services such as caregiver training, adult skills coaching, care navigation, and fast-access evaluations will be available to all employees, with formal evaluations accessible through Cigna benefits.
The 2027 IRS limits for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are listed below. The IRS limits for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Commuter Benefits will be updated when the information becomes available.
HSA Contribution Details
FSA Contribution Details
You can enroll in or stop your participation in the commuter pre-tax account program at any time. Contributions in the account can be used in future months or plan years, and does not require an election during the Open Enrollment period. To learn more, visit the commuter page.
Life insurance helps protect your loved ones in the event of an unexpected death. Snowflake provides Basic Life and AD&D coverage to all U.S. employees at no cost. Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance allows you to purchase additional protection for your family's financial security.
Coverage is available for yourself, your spouse/domestic partner, and/or your child(ren). To purchase coverage for your dependents, you must first elect coverage for yourself. Consider your current and future financial needs when evaluating how much coverage you need.
During the 2027 Open Enrollment period, you may increase your voluntary employee life insurance election by up to $40,000 without providing Evidence of Insurability (EOI) — also called a Statement of Health — as long as your total coverage does not exceed the $300,000 Guaranteed Issue (GI) limit.
Examples — No EOI Required
Any coverage elected above $300,000 remains subject to EOI review.
Example: An employee currently enrolled at $280,000 elects an additional $40,000.
The first $20,000 is approved automatically (bringing them to the $300,000 GI limit).
The remaining $20,000 requires EOI review.
Total elected coverage: $320,000 — with $20,000 pending approval.
Election changes outside the Open Enrollment period are only permitted if you experience an IRS-defined qualified life event (such as marriage, birth or adoption of a child, or divorce) — and you must submit your change request within 31 days of the event.
Beginning in 2027, the maximum weekly benefit for Short-Term Disability (STD) and California Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) for employees on a qualified medical leave will increase from $3,500 to $4,000 per week. STD and VDI benefits provided under the Snowflake plan are tax-free.
California Voluntary Disability Insurance changes:
For California employees covered by the Snowflake VDI plan, in addition to the increase in benefits above, you will also see an increase in the benefits for Caregiver and Parental leaves from a weekly maximum of $2,000 to $4,000, which are exempt from state taxes.
Starting in 2027, employees will be responsible for applicable benefit-plan contributions while on a leave of absence. For more information please see the LOA Toolkit on The Lift.
During paid leave:
Your regular benefit deductions will continue to be withheld from your paycheck as normal, including medical, dental, vision, FSA, and voluntary benefit contributions. Since many of our leave pay benefits are tax-free, these deductions will only come from any taxable income you receive. If your leave pay is insufficient to cover the full deduction amount, deductions will be taken in the following priority order: [1. medical, 2. dental, 3. vision, 4. voluntary benefits]. Any amounts that cannot be withheld will accumulate and be reconciled upon your return.
During unpaid leave:
Your regular benefit deductions will stop since you will not have any eligible income. Contributions will accrue and will be reconciled when you return to work.
Healthcare costs continue to rise nationally, and as a result, employee bi-weekly contributions for medical, dental, and vision coverage will increase modestly in 2027. Snowflake still covers the majority of the cost of your care, and we remain committed to offering comprehensive, competitive benefits for you and your family.
Take a moment to review the updated 2027 contribution rates and consider what coverage best fits your needs before finalizing your elections.
If you're on the Cigna PPO or HDHP, your in-network and out-of-network deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums are being updated for 2027.
Your pharmacy coverage through CVS continues in 2027, but certain copay amounts are changing. If you or a family member takes a regular medication, review the updated costs. Tier changes can affect how much you pay for both brand-name and generic drugs.
Starting January 1, 2027, Snowflake’s fertility benefit, available to those enrolled in a Snowflake-sponsored Cigna medical plan, will move from Kindbody to Maven, making it easier and more streamlined to access care with a dedicated Care Advocate. Your fertility and family-building benefits remain unchanged.
For members who are already receiving fertility care, Maven's Member Benefits Services team is available to answer any questions you may have about your fertility benefits transitioning to Maven. You can reach Maven at benefits@mavenclinic.com or by calling (888) 465-7126 Monday-Friday 9am-9pm EST or 10am-5pm EST on weekends and holidays. To get started create your Maven account by visiting mavenclinic.com/join/snowflake or downloading the Maven Clinic app. Note, fertility services will be available to access in your account effective January 1, 2027.
Back pain. Knee pain. Hip or shoulder issues. Pelvic health. These are common and costly health problems. Starting in 2027, Snowflake-sponsored Cigna members and their families have access to Hinge Health, a digital program that pairs you with a physical therapist and an at-home exercise plan. No referral needed. Hinge Health is built on the idea that catching and treating musculoskeletal problems early leads to better outcomes. If you've been putting off addressing an ache or injury, this is your place to start. Learn more about Hinge Health and join the wait list to activate services starting 1/1/2027.
A cancer diagnosis comes with a flood of decisions, appointments, and uncertainty. Starting January 1, 2027, Cigna enrolled members have access to Transcarent, a dedicated team that provides personalized guidance through every step: understanding your diagnosis, finding specialists, navigating treatment options, and supporting the people caring for you. Transcarent provides a dedicated nurse navigator and care team.
For questions, contact the Transcarent Dedicated Support Team at (877)921-2827.
To simplify care, neurodiversity support will be offered through Lyra, replacing RethinkCare. Lyra’s Center of Excellence for Neurodiversity supports employees and their dependents—including one-to-one caregiver training, adult skills coaching, and dedicated care navigation. If you are enrolled in a Snowflake-sponsored Cigna plan, you can also access neurodiversity assessments through Lyra.
If you or a family member receives a serious diagnosis or is facing major surgery, a second opinion from a top specialist can change everything. Through 2nd.MD (through Transcarent), employees enrolled in a Snowflake-sponsored medical plan have access to free virtual second opinion consultations with nationally recognized medical experts. No referral needed. Conditions where second opinions most frequently change treatment plans: cancer, orthopedic surgery, cardiac procedures, and rare diseases.
For questions, contact the Transcarent Dedicated Support Team at (877)921-2827.
In 2027, Kaiser is introducing enhancements. Talk to your provider to learn more.
If you or a family member receives a serious diagnosis or is facing major surgery, a second opinion from a top specialist can change everything. Through 2nd.MD (through Transcarent), employees enrolled in a Snowflake-sponsored medical plan have access to free virtual second opinion consultations with nationally recognized medical experts. No referral needed. Conditions where second opinions most frequently change treatment plans: cancer, orthopedic surgery, cardiac procedures, and rare diseases.
For questions, contact the Transcarent Dedicated Suport Team at (877)921-2827.
If you're generally healthy and want to pay less monthly while building a tax-free savings account. Snowflake contributes to your HSA.
If you want lower out-of-pocket costs when you use care, without managing a deductible before coverage kicks in.
If you're in California and prefer coordinated care with a primary care doctor managing your referrals.
To compare these plans and determine which is right for you and your family, visit ALEX, our free, decision-support tool and medical plan cost estimator.
HDHP = High Deductible Health Plan
HMO = Health Maintenence Organization
HSA = Health Savings Account
FSA = Flexible Spending Account
OAP = Open Access Plus
PPO = Preferred Provider Organization
SBC = Summary of Benefits and Changes
We're hosting short virtual sessions throughout October. One per vendor, 30 minutes each. These are the fastest way to understand what's available to you, including several benefits that don't require enrollment. Calendar invitations will be sent out; attendance is optional.
Recordings will be posted as they become available.
These are optional benefits you can select during Open Enrollment, available at group rates through Snowflake.
If you are currently enrolled in any of the programs listed above, your current enrollment will carry forward into 2027.
Not sure which plan is right for you? ALEX is a free a decision-support tool and medical plan cost estimator built specifically for Snowflake's benefits. Answer a few questions about your health, your family, and how often you use care. ALEX will estimate your total annual costs across plans.
Click on the "Enroll Now" button below to review your current elections and make your 2027 updates. Be sure to save your confirmation once you submit your elections. Changes outside of the Open Enrollment period are only allowed if you experience an IRS-defined qualifying life change and update your elections within 31 days of your eligible event date.
