USC employees will no longer be able to enroll in Anthem MyChoice HMO and Anthem HMO healthcare plans, according to a memo shared by Campus Health on Tuesday.
Employees already enrolled in Kaiser Permanente HMO plans will have the option to renew their existing healthcare plan. However, all other USC employees eligible for healthcare benefits will only have USC Trojan Care EPO or PPO plans as options for healthcare during the 2026 open enrollment period.
“USC Health leaders and the Health Plans teams are very conscious that we must be exceptionally good stewards of your health plan dollars,” wrote Senior Vice President for Health Affairs Dr. Steven D. Shapiro and Vice President for Campus Health and Chief Campus Health Officer Dr. Sarah Van Orman. They also noted that the department’s goal is to provide employees with the “best prevention tools and health care services that move our communities continuously toward improved health outcomes.”
The USC Trojan Care EPO plan provides care through Keck Medicine of USC and will now include a two-tier benefit system. Employees enrolled in “Tier 2” of the plan will have access to select additional partner healthcare providers in the Anthem network.
“Tier 1” of the EPO plan includes all Keck Medicine of USC providers and practice locations, as well as access to local providers, with notable regional exclusions such as UCLA Health and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Employees who choose to enroll in “Tier 2″ of the plan will have access to a nationwide network of healthcare coverage. Campus Health explained on a Frequently Asked Questions page that this plan “can greatly benefit employees and dependents who are out of state” and are unable to get healthcare from USC facilities.
The PPO plan will offer international coverage and additional enhancements, which will be announced shortly before the open enrollment period begins on Oct. 27.
Specific details about health plans will be sent to employees via email and posted to the campus health website in September. Updated premium rates for the 2026 USC Trojan Care EPO and PPO plans will be available on Oct. 1.
Employees can find additional information on healthcare options during open enrollment — which will take place Oct. 27 through Nov. 10 — on the Employee Gateway.
Campus Health will host three walkthrough events with a question-and-answer component, allowing employees to attend and receive further information on healthcare services. Interested employees can pre-register for these sessions on the campus health website. The first session will be held in person on Sept. 4, the second will be conducted over Zoom on Sept. 8, and the third will be held in person on Sept. 10.
Additional reporting by Breeana Greenberg and Karan Lodha.