What to expect for 2027

What to expect for 2027

Healthcare and pharmacy costs continue to rise rapidly across the country, and Iron Mountain is not immune to these industry-wide pressures. Despite these challenges, we remain committed to protecting your health and financial wellbeing. Iron Mountain will continue to pay 80% of aggregate medical plan costs — a level of support that exceeds most other employers.

To maintain this high level of coverage, 2027 will bring some plan design changes and premium increases.

Now more than ever, it is essential to be an active consumer in your healthcare. Here is how you can prepare:

• Explore your options: Expand the dropdown menus and review this page to understand the benefit plan changes and the new premium rates.

• Get personalized guidance: Use our decision-support resources—including A1A, Emma, Kaiser tools, and the Iron Mountain Benefits Center—to ask questions and evaluate options for your family.

• Log in to enroll: Access the enrollment system during Open Enrollment from October 22 through November 5 to make or confirm your elections for 2027.

• Maximize your benefits: Take an active role in managing your health spending. If you enroll in an Aetna plan, utilizing Tier 1 providers is one of the most effective ways to lower your out-of-pocket costs and stretch your healthcare dollars.

Enrolling or making a change?

Whether you're taking action during Open Enrollment, newly eligible for benefits, or making a change due to a qualified life event, there are several actions you'll want to take to ensure you have the benefits coverage you need for your family.

• Change your medical plan. Medical elections will roll over from prior years unless you make a different election. For those currently enrolled in the Choice PPO​ Plan​, you ​​will automatically be enrolled in the Enhanced HDHP, along with your currently eligible and enrolled dependents, unless you make a different election. ​

• Contribute and participate in a Health Savings Account (HSA) or any Flexible Spending Account (FSA).

• Update coverage elections to add/remove dependents. Last year’s spousal surcharge status will roll over.

• Modify ​​your tobacco use​ election​. Last year’s tobacco use response will roll over.

• ​​​Increase your ​​Life Insurance coverage to protect your loved ones.

• Change your beneficiary: While beneficiaries will carry over, all Mountaineers are strongly encouraged to review and update their beneficiary designations.

• Enroll in the MetLife Legal Plan to include parents, grandparents, or in-laws.

Information on key benefit changes for 2027:

• Aetna plan simplification

  For 2027, we are streamlining our medical options by discontinuing the Choice PPO Plan. Moving forward, Iron Mountain will offer three Aetna medical plans designed to meet different healthcare and financial needs: the Select Plan, the Enhanced HDHP, and the Basic HDHP.

  If you are currently enrolled in the Choice PPO Plan, you and your enrolled dependents will automatically be transitioned to the Enhanced HDHP for 2027 unless you select a different plan during Open Enrollment.

  All three medical plans feature comprehensive pharmacy coverage, 100% coverage for in-network preventive care, and a two-tiered provider network—with Tier 1 providers delivering the highest level of coverage and savings.

• Navigating Aetna’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 network

  To help you get the most value from your healthcare dollars, all Aetna plans use a tiered provider network. The tier you choose directly impacts how much you pay out of pocket when receiving care:

  • Tier 1 providers are Aetna’s designated high-value doctors, specialists, and hospitals. Using Tier 1 providers is always your most cost-effective choice, giving you access to quality care at the lowest out-of-pocket expense.

  • Tier 2 providers are standard Aetna in-network providers. You are free to see Tier 2 providers, but your deductible, copays, and coinsurance will be higher.

  Important Tier 2 updates for 2027

  For 2027, coverage levels for Tier 2 providers have changed, resulting in higher out-of-pocket costs when you choose Tier 2 care. Because of these changes, choosing a Tier 1 provider is the single most effective way for Mountaineers to control medical expenses in the coming year.

  Please review the summary chart below to see how Tier 1 and Tier 2 cost-sharing compare across our 2027 plans. For a comprehensive list of all covered services and plan limits, access the full chart here.

  Medical Benefits Annual Deductible	Select Network		Enhanced			Basic HDHP
  	Tier 1 - INN	Tier 2 - INN	Tier 1 - INN	Tier 2 - INN	Out-of- Network	Tier 1 - INN	Tier 2 - INN	Out-of- Network
  Individual	$750	$4,000	$2,000	$7,000	$8,000	$4,000	$7,000	$8,000
  Family	$1,500	$8,000	$4,000	$14,000	$16,000	$8,000	$14,000	$16,000

• Kaiser California Plan changes

  To keep monthly benefit premiums manageable for Mountaineers while maintaining access to Kaiser’s integrated healthcare system, the Kaiser CA Plan is shifting to a deductible and coinsurance structure for 2027.

  What this means for your care:

  • Preventive care: Remains 100% covered at no cost to you.

  • Other services: Certain medical services and treatments will now be subject to an annual deductible before the plan begins sharing costs through coinsurance (a percentage of the service cost).

  • Out-of-pocket protection: The plan continues to include an annual out-of-pocket maximum to protect you from catastrophic medical expenses.

  Because this is a structural change in how you pay for care at the point of service, we strongly encourage all California employees considering Kaiser to review the coverage details before enrolling. Please see the summary plan design chart for more information.

• 2027 medical rates

  Medical premiums — the costs out of your paycheck — are determined on your base pay.

  For 2027, a fourth salary band has been added for employees with a base salary over $100,000.

  Your base salary as of October 1, 2026, determines your salary band for all of 2027. Employees hired after October 1 will have their rate determined by their base salary as of their hire date.

  Select your carrier below to view a chart of your biweekly paycheck cost by salary tier.

  • Aetna

  • Kaiser (CA and HI)

  • Triple-S (Puerto Rico)

• Life Insurance for 2027

  Basic (company-paid) Life Insurance

  For 2027, the company-paid life and AD&D benefit will be 1x your annual pay, up to $500,000.

  Supplemental Life Insurance: Enroll without medical questions

  Open Enrollment is the best time to purchase extra financial protection for your loved ones. For 2027, you can add or increase your Supplemental Life Insurance up to 5x your annual salary (up to $300,000) without completing an Evidence of Insurability (EOI) application.

  What is EOI? Normally, insurance companies require an EOI—a detailed medical history form—to evaluate your health before offering higher coverage levels. Waiving EOI during Open Enrollment lets you secure or increase coverage without answering health questions or submitting medical records.

  Guaranteed coverage details:

  • New Enrollees: If you don't currently have Supplemental Life, elect up to 5x your salary (max $300,000) with guaranteed approval.

  • Current Enrollees: If you currently have less than $300,000 in coverage, increase your amount up to 5x your salary (max $300,000) without health screening.

  • If you are currently enrolled at an amount at or above $300,000, you will be able to increase coverage by 1x salary, up to a maximum of 7x salary or $1.2M without the need to complete EOI.

  • Please note: An EOI is still required if you were previously denied coverage by the insurer.

• MetLife Legal Assistance: Plus Parents option

  MetLife Legal Plan base: Low per-pay-period premium providing personal legal support for you, your spouse or domestic partner, and eligible dependents through a nationwide attorney network, with no additional fees when using in-network attorneys.

  NEW Parent & Grandparent coverage option: You can now expand your legal plan to cover your parents, in-laws, and grandparents. This is a great way to get help with things like elder care planning.

• Personalized support

  While these personalized support resources aren’t new for 2027, they can help you make the best healthcare decisions for you and your family.

  Aetna One Advisor (A1A), your personal benefits advisor

  Did you know that Aetna One Advisor (A1A) is your personal benefits advisor? They can help you compare medical plan options, choose the best fit for you and your family, find quality cost-effective providers, and offer tips to get the most from your plan. Once you call, your advisor provides personalized support all year long.

  Your A1A advisor can help you:

  • Tap into free preventative services and condition management programs.

  • Find top-quality and budget-friendly providers, schedule appointments, and coordinate your care (including pre-certifications).

  • Make informed decisions about treatment options.

  • Understand your prescription drug coverage.

  • Sort out any plan or claim issues.

  A1A can support all Mountaineers to understand their benefits

  Call 888-216-8573, Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM ET. Aetna members can also chat online through the Aetna member website (aetna.com).

  Learn more about Aetna One Advisor (A1A).

  Emma™: A personal decision support tool

  Emma is an online tool designed to help you choose which plan is best for you during enrollment or when making life event changes. If you are an Aetna enrollee, Emma looks at 12 months of you and your enrolled dependents’ medical claims history (if available) to compare coverage options for the coming year. Just answer a few questions and Emma will give a personalized comparison of your medical plan costs, including payroll deductions and expected out-of-pocket costs when you use the plan. Log in to the Iron Mountain Benefits Center via the bswift mobile app or on the web here to get started.