The substantial amount of labor and hours involved in open enrollment season is well known to benefits administrators. Assessing the effectiveness of past enrollment processes before the new season begins can reduce that workload and make the process smoother.
1. Taking Advantage of the Pre-planning Phase.
Begin by clarifying your business objectives, then evaluate benefit plan designs to determine what options best fit your goals and employee population. Whether you consider health savings accounts, consumer-directed plans, or reimbursement accounts, align plan features with those objectives.
Other considerations during pre-planning include your budget for benefit administration costs, how technology will be used to streamline enrollment, and whether benefits will be administered internally or outsourced. For guidance specific to small employers, see Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment for Small Businesses.
2. Developing and Fine-tuning a Project Plan.
Your project plan should be defined clearly and include key elements so the team understands timing and responsibility.
- The dates for the enrollment period.
- What resources are available and how they will be allocated.
- A checklist of all tasks.
- Lead-time needed for adding new employees and, if applicable, changing vendors or carriers.
- The training schedule for customer service representatives and benefits staff.
It is also prudent to have a contingency plan and to oversee the project plan at each stage to catch issues early.
3. Educating Employees on Maximizing Benefits.
Employees value clear communication about financial advice, retirement planning, and other benefit options, and consider communication a key part of enrollment. Provide the education employees need to make informed health care decisions and to navigate the system efficiently.
Ways to educate employees include benefit calculators, health and wellness fairs, in-service meetings, direct mail, and online benefit tools. If you plan to outsource benefit administration or need industry-specific guidance, review resources such as Managing Hazardous Materials and Employee Benefits in Construction.
Also communicate the overall value of offered benefits, including trends in the insurance market, any added value to plans, and employer contributions.
4. Foresee the Tasks to Follow Open Enrollment.
Plan for post-enrollment tasks before the enrollment window closes so follow-up work does not create last-minute problems. Anticipating these tasks reduces errors and improves employee experience.
- ID card distribution
- Payroll coordination (feed schedules, timing of the last payroll period, and deduction automation)
- Quarterly audit schedules with carriers
- Follow-ups on carrier inaccuracies
- Beginning planning for the next year
If you need help implementing these steps, talk to an agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should we start planning for open enrollment?
Begin pre-planning several months before the enrollment period to evaluate plan options, set a budget, and schedule staff training.
What are the most effective employee communication methods?
A mix of online tools, in-person meetings, direct mail, and benefit calculators typically reaches the widest range of employees.
How can we reduce errors after enrollment closes?
Use automated payroll feeds, schedule carrier audits, and assign staff to follow up on discrepancies promptly.