Benefits Corner

3 Things to Remember When Getting Your Employees Ready for Open Enrollment

Submitted by Anna Roussel, Creative Writer, Educational Benefits

Evaluate Your Plan

Think about your current benefits; are there any products that would be beneficial to employees that are not currently offered? Your broker needs advance notice to quote new benefits. Also consider your carriers; are there any you have issues with? Some concerns can be fixed with a quick phone call, and others may require switching carriers. Consistently reassessing these things help provide your employees with the best benefits possible.

Know Your Effective Date and Schedule Accordingly

Your effective date is the day your policy renews, and all enrollment needs to be completed before this deadline. Your open enrollment dates are informed by this, and choosing a smart time frame to enroll your employees is essential. Consider what weeks are popular travel dates, whether upcoming holidays mean less people in-office, and remember that later enrollments mean ID cards could potentially be delivered late. It is also crucial to inform employees of upcoming OE dates as soon as possible to avoid rushed decisions, not including other household decision makers, and missed opportunities.

You Can Never Be Too Prepared

Reminding employees to bring their SSN, information on their dependents, and to read their potential benefits packages ahead of time are all things that will help the open enrollment process run smoothly. It is also beneficial to have an updated internal census prepared 90 to 60 days in advance to allow for quoting. If you’re not sure what to include:

• Adding a life or disability policy? Prepare an internal employee census with occupations and salaries, no dependent information needed.

• Just quoting medical? Prepare to have a census with dependent information.

• Quoting out a current product or doing a market check? Prepare to have a current bill for your current carrier in addition to an updated census with occupation and salary information.

Contact us if you need assistance.