A health insurance open enrollment period is the specific time each year when employees of your small business clients can make changes to their current health coverage or sign up for coverage. These annual open enrollment periods are in addition to any Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for which an employee may qualify if they experience a Qualifying Life Event such as losing other health coverage due to a job loss or qualification for Medicaid, marriage, birth or adoption of a child, or a move outside of their current health plan’s coverage area.
When Does Small Business Open Enrollment Start?
A group’s open enrollment dates vary based on when its current coverage (if any) is set to expire. A significant percentage of employers have calendar-year or near-calendar-year benefits. October through January effective dates are quite common, with open enrollments often starting 60-90 days earlier.
Checklist Suggestions
To help you plan for a successful open enrollment, here is a schedule you might consider.
8-12 Weeks Before Open Enrollment
- Gather information on your client’s renewal rate and alternative coverage options. If a rate increase is expected, begin to shop the market for alternatives that could offer savings. Is your client open to a PEO or moving from an PPO to an HMO? What about level- or self-funding options?
- Keep messaging simple. Health insurance is not always easy to understand. Use plain language and visuals to explain complex topics.
- Work with your client to gather employee feedback. Encourage employees to share questions, comments, and concerns ahead of open enrollment. Ask them what they like, what they don’t, and how things could be improved for the year ahead. The responses received will help shape your planned presentation(s) and potential talking points for your enrollment meetings.
- Survey employees to learn what they’re looking for in their benefits program. Ask what employees are willing to pay for on their own. You may uncover potential voluntary sales opportunities.
- Review compliance updates that could impact your client’s current plans. Will an existing plan not be available going forward because of a state or federal mandate? Be ready to explain it as part of your discussion with the employer and in your enrollment meetings. Discuss dependent eligibility, if applicable.
4 Weeks Before Open Enrollment
- Assemble carrier-approved educational materials to help employees better evaluate their needs and find a solution suited to their budget. These tools may be printed, accessible online, or both. Simple plan comparison tools, premium calculators, and FAQs help employees make confident benefits choices.
- Test your planned enrollment platform, if applicable. Tech can be unpredictable. Make sure your system is working correctly, so your enrollment goes smoothly.
- Provide managers with talking points to ensure they are ready to address employee questions.
- Publish your enrollment content – online and/or in print. Provide employees with timely access to give them sufficient time to thoroughly review and respond before the planned enrollment deadline.
- Create a series of scheduled enrollment reminders. Work with your client’s HR Department on a series of email reminders to employees on the annual open enrollment start and end dates. Spell out the impact if employees miss the deadline. (Will they be re-enrolled in their current coverage or is there a default standard? Will they not have coverage at all?)
1-2 Weeks Before Open Enrollment
- Schedule educational sessions with employees. Organize in-person and/or virtual benefits meetings, webinars, or one-on-one discussions with employees, so you can explain all available benefits and options.
- Assemble and distribute plan collateral to help explain enrollee options. These can be the same or different from the enrollment content discussed above. The objective is to ensure employees fully understand their options and costs.
- Prepare FAQs. There are bound to be certain questions that you get regularly and you can anticipate at your meetings. Plan for them with a handout that clearly and concisely answers them.
During Your Group’s Open Enrollment
- Share your presentation agenda and enrollment schedule. Help employees understand what is planned and the time allotted for their annual open enrollment.
– Provide highlights of the group’s current coverage. Make sure you are ready to discuss what’s changing (like rate, deductible, or copay changes for the new plan year).
– Deliver a snapshot of new coverage options – Major Medical as well as Ancillary (if applicable).
– Share enrollment guides and forms – or demonstrate online enrollment tools.
– Discuss any required mandates and notices.
- Remind managers to encourage employees to ask questions – and to respond by the enrollment deadline.
- Encourage employees to act early to avoid a rushed enrollment.
- Make yourself available to answer questions – directly or through Human Resources. You should be able to receive questions via email or telephone.
- Send a final reminder 24 hours before the group’s enrollment deadline.
Post-Enrollment Follow-Up Checklist
In the days immediately following your group’s open enrollment, take the time to:
- Review all employees’ enrollment forms or online plan selections. Check for completeness and accuracy. Reach out where appropriate if information is incomplete.
- Submit apps/forms to your General Agent/Carrier/TPA.
- Follow up on ID Cards, if appropriate. Confirm all participants received an ID Card soon after coverage is approved by the carrier/administrator.
- Address any outstanding questions. Reach out to answer any questions employees may have – whether they are about Major Medical, Ancillary (if applicable), value-adds, or something else.
- Send a post-enrollment survey. Ask what went well and what went wrong to make next year’s open enrollment even better.
Partner With Word & Brown for a Smoother Open Enrollment
For a successful open enrollment, it’s important to plan ahead, develop and share clear communications, and adopt our suggested checklist. Working closely with your Word & Brown rep can also ensure a more efficient process. We are a proven, valued partner – for you and your clients. Reach out and let’s discuss how our collaboration can help ensure your future open enrollment meetings are more successful.
If you are not yet working with us, register online or reach out to Jim Pippins, W&B’s Senior Director of Broker Success. We have been working with brokers for 40+ years, and we’re known for delivering Service of Unequalled Excellence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business Open Enrollment
When should brokers start preparing for a small business client’s open enrollment?
Preparation should begin 8-12 weeks before open enrollment, starting with gathering renewal rate information and shopping alternative coverage options if a rate increase is expected.
What’s the difference between open enrollment and a Special Enrollment Period (SEP)?
Open enrollment is the annual period when employees can make coverage changes, while a Special Enrollment Period applies when an employee experiences a Qualifying Life Event, such as losing other coverage, marriage, or the birth or adoption of a child.
When do most small group health plans renew?
A significant share of employers have calendar-year or near-calendar-year benefits, making October through January common effective dates, with open enrollment typically starting 60-90 days before that.
What should brokers do immediately after open enrollment ends?
Brokers should review all enrollment forms for completeness, submit apps to the General Agent/Carrier/TPA, confirm employees receive ID cards, address outstanding questions, and send a post-enrollment survey.
What materials should brokers prepare before open enrollment meetings?
Brokers should assemble carrier-approved educational materials, plan comparison tools, premium calculators, FAQs, and talking points for managers, ideally about 4 weeks before enrollment begins.
