Open enrollment season has just been announced! And choosing an appropriate health care plan that is most suitable to your team’s needs has never been more essential, especially in these trying times. However, the pressure to choose the best one has left the new enrollers anxious, stressed out and confused.
Your employees will certainly need some time and a whole lot of good resources to make enrollment choices confidently. These 8 tips will help you help them prepare and complete open enrollment, (and it’ll show them you care about more than just profits):
Consider sponsoring Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spendings Accounts (FSA).
Besides being excellent attraction and retention tools, HSAs and FSAs also speak louder than words in prioritizing your team’s well-being. Each account is unique and can be offered as a tax-advantaged method to set aside funds for health care expenses. Note that they work only on high-deductible plans.
Ask them to think hard about them and their dependents’ health care needs.
Health care needs change every year as various life events occur. Open enrollment can help your team reevaluate their health coverage. They can assess whether there have been any changes in the last year or whether they anticipate certain health care changes in the coming years. They should check if they have added their dependents, and how often they anticipate that their dependents will need to visit health care providers or buy.
Urge them to review benefits offerings thoroughly.
As a small business, you’re likely to adapt and change your benefit offerings every year. Your team should frequently review all offerings and open enrollment resources carefully. Plans and costs can also change every year, so they should know the ins and outs of their respective plans.
They should reexamine their medical coverage.
Let your staff know that it’s okay to choose a different plan from the one they picked last year, as healthcare needs can change and requirements will be different. Having said that, they should note that there may be new costs incurred when they change plans in terms of deductibles, out of pocket maximums, prescription coverage and so on.
Highlight any changes in the list of available healthcare providers.
The coronavirus has led to the closing and changing of many institutions. This could affect your business’s list of health care providers. Your team should take the time to ensure that their preferred healthcare providers are still included in the networks they chose.
Have them review their voluntary insurance options.
After choosing their health coverage, they should also consider voluntary insurance options. A few examples of common voluntary insurance options that your business can offer include dental or vision benefits, life insurance, disability insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance offerings. Make sure you announce these insurance offerings as well, as they will aid your staff during these challenging times.
Make them aware of all available resources.
As COVID-19 transforms how and where we work, it would be beneficial to offer resources such as mental health resources, employee assistance programs, and telemedicine services. If you do, show your team you’re on their side by letting them know that these resources are at their disposal.
If you’re an employer who would like to know more about providing insurance benefits, contact the experts at NY Small Health today.
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