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| INSURANCE CORNER: Employer Health Insurance Plans - Open Enrollment |
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December 6, 2011
INSURANCE CORNER: Enrolling with your employer’s health insurance plan- Open Enrollment As the year ends, many employers will be offering an “Open Enrollment” for their insurance health plans. They will share information with the employees regarding changes to their costs and their benefits. Some employers may even completely change their insurance companies at this time. Others may increase deductibles or decrease available benefits to help maintain costs. It is not uncommon for a work- based health plan to have double digit percent increases in costs from year to year. The employers try hard to maintain everything including costs, but this is not an easy task. Information may be given to you in writing, or may be accessed through websites sponsored by the insurance carrier. Read through this information, or go on line to the website. The more familiar you are with these resources, the easier it will be to navigate when you are under pressure to look for treatment options. During open enrollment you may chose to sign up for insurance that you did not have before. You may be able to add children or a spouse to your plan. Remember to ask you Benefits manager about adding your children. With the recent changes in healthcare rules, you may be able to keep your children on your health plan until they are 26 even if they are not in school. Once open enrollment is closed, you are typically not able to add or change your enrollment status until next year. Again, check with your benefit manager regarding any restrictions. Use this open enrollment time to understand your benefits better. Now is the time to ask questions. How much is your deductible? Are there any restrictions on the providers or hospitals you can go to? Are your “normal” doctors on the list of participating providers? If they are not, will you have to pay “out of network” rates to see them? What amount are you responsible for if you have an office visit? What about a surgery? How does it work when you need a special injection or medical equipment like a brace? Remember, you are responsible to be an active participant in your health care decisions. Understanding your benefits is key to this process. Open enrollment periods are the best time to ask questions and become a better advocate for how your health care dollars are spent. By: Jeanne Connelly, VP of Clinical Operations |
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