open enrollment Archives

What Are the Deadlines for Open Enrollment 2024?

by Sam Johnson | Sep 6, 2023 | Blog

What are the deadlines for Open Enrollment 2024? Learn about key deadlines and special enrollment opportunities for the 2024 Open Enrollment Period.

Open Enrollment 2024 is right around the corner, providing your workforce with an important opportunity to choose a health insurance plan for the upcoming year. During this period, employees are able to review their healthcare options and choose the plan that will best suit their families’ needs.

Here are the most important deadlines to watch out for during Open Enrollment 2024.

What are the deadlines for Open Enrollment 2024?

For most states, the Open Enrollment period for health coverage that begins on January 1, 2024 starts on November 1, 2023 and runs until January 15, 2024. In order for employees to guarantee coverage in 2024, they must enroll in their health plan by this January 15th date.

However, certain states have different deadlines than the ones listed above:

California: November 1, 2023, through January 31, 2024
Idaho: October 15, 2023, through December 15, 2023
Massachusetts: November 1, 2023, through January 23, 2024
New Jersey: November 1, 2023, through January 31, 2024
New York: November 16th, 2023 through January 31st, 2024
Rhode Island: November 1st, 2023, through January 31, 2024
Washington D.C.: November 1, 2023, through January 31, 2024

Special enrollment periods for Open Enrollment 2024

Outside of the deadlines listed above, there are qualifying life events that allow people to qualify for special enrollment periods. You may be eligible for a special enrollment period if any of the following situations apply to you:

A change in household including
- Marriage
- A new baby, an adoption or placing a child in foster care
- Divorce
- Death in the family
A change in residence that involves moving to:
- A new home in a new ZIP code or county
- The U.S. from a foreign country or U.S. territory
- A new school (if you are a student)
- A new place to live or work
Loss of health insurance
- If you or a member of your household has lost health insurance in the last 60 days or is going to lose health insurance in the upcoming 60 days you may qualify for the Special Enrollment Period.
Gaining membership to a federally recognized tribe
Becoming a U.S. citizen
Leaving incarceration
Beginning or ending service as an AmeriCorps State and National, VISTA, or NCCC member.

For more information and updated information about the Open Enrollment period, refer to healthcare.gov.

To learn more about Best Money Moves Financial Wellness Platform, let’s schedule a call. Contact us and we’ll reach out to you soon.

What Are the Deadlines for Open Enrollment 2022?

by AllyMauch | Sep 7, 2021 | Blog

What Are the Deadlines for Open Enrollment 2022? Open enrollment for 2022 is just around the corner. Here are the deadlines and exceptions to know.

As fall approaches, so does open enrollment — the annual period where most Americans enroll in a health insurance plan for the upcoming calendar year.

With the COVID-19 pandemic far from over, health insurance remains more important than ever. So, whether you’re insured through your employer or venturing into the insurance marketplace on your own, it’s vital to know how and when to obtain coverage.

Below, we’ll outline all the important opening and closing dates for the 2022 period, as well as any extensions or exceptions.

When is open enrollment 2022?

For health coverage that starts January 1, 2022, nationwide open enrollment begins November 1, 2021 and ends December 15, 2021.

However, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have proposed extending the deadline 30 days, through January 15, 2022. Even if this extension is passed, residents in most states will still need to enroll by December 15 in order to have coverage by January 1.

There are also some states and areas that have different dates from the above:

California: October 15, 2021 through January 31, 2022
Colorado: November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022
Connecticut: November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022
Idaho: November 1, 2021 through December 31, 2020
Massachusetts: November 1, 2021 through January 23, 2022
Minnesota: November 1, 2021 through December 22, 2021
Nevada: November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022
New Jersey: November 1, 2021 through January 31, 2022
New York: November 1, 2021 through January 31, 2022
Pennsylvania: November 1, 2021 through January 15, 2022
Rhode Island: October 15, 2021 through December 31, 2022

Washington DC: November 1, 2021 through January 31, 2022

Other Dates and Special Enrollment Periods

Medicaid and CHIP. Open enrollment for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is year-round for those who qualify.

Native Americans. Members of federally recognized tribes and ANCSA shareholders are eligible to enroll year-round.

Qualifying Events. There are a few life events that can qualify you for a special enrollment period if anyone in your household has experienced them in the last 60 days.

Marriage
Having a baby, adopting a child or placing a child for foster care
Getting divorced or legally separated and losing health insurance (Divorce or legal separation without losing coverage doesn’t qualify you for a special enrollment period)
Death of someone on your plan (this qualifies you for a special enrollment period if the death results in you being no longer eligible for your current health plan)
Changes in residence:
- Moving to a new home in a new ZIP code or county
- Moving to the U.S. from a foreign country or U.S. territory
- If you’re a student, moving to or from the place you attend school
- If you’re a seasonal worker, moving to or from the place you both live and work
- Moving to or from a shelter or other transitional housing
Loss of health insurance

COVID-related. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there was also a nationwide special enrollment period for obtaining 2021 coverage that ended on August 15. For some of the states that run their own open enrollment, though, these special periods are ongoing.

California: Through December 31 for uninsured residents and those switching from off-exchange to on-exchange coverage.
Connecticut: Through October 31
DC: Through the end of the pandemic emergency period
Minnesota: Minnesota’s special enrollment period for COVID ended in July, but those who have received unemployment compensation in 2021 can still enroll
New Jersey: Through December 31
New York: Through December 31
Vermont: Through October 1 for uninsured residents

For more information and updated information about the open enrollment period, refer to healthcare.gov.

If you want to learn more about how Best Money Moves can bring financial wellness to your company, download our whitepapers.

How Do You Make Open Enrollment Easier for Employees?

by LizStevens | Sep 30, 2020 | Blog

How do you make open enrollment easier for employees? Making the process simpler so employees can find the right plan to help them manage healthcare costs.

COVID-19 has been a wake-up call for the 49 percent of employees who plan on spending more time researching and selecting health insurance plans during open enrollment this year, according to research by Aflac.

It’s a welcome shift in behavior considering 92 percent of employees choose the same benefits year after year and spend an average of 33 minutes or less on the task. But most employees can no longer ignore the rising costs of healthcare. Over 90 percent of workers said they were surprised by at least one healthcare cost in the last year.

Another survey, by Voya Financial, found that 53 percent of employees plan to make changes to their benefits coverage in the next open enrollment period and 71 percent plan to take their time reviewing voluntary benefit options offered by their employers.

“With COVID-19 part of our daily lives for the foreseeable future, our new survey reveals that many are focused on ways that they can protect the health and wealth of themselves and their families, and they recognize workplace benefits are a way to do just that,” said Rob Grubka, president of Employee Benefits, Voya Financial.

Preparing for open enrollment in the midst of a global pandemic is no easy task, but if employers can simplify the process and help employees better understand how different plans can help them manage healthcare costs, it’s a worthy pursuit.

How Do You Make Open Enrollment Easier for Employees?

The most impactful way employers can make open enrollment easier for employees is to give them more information about their benefits outside of the open enrollment period. Over 80 percent of Gen Z, 82 percent of Millenials, 77 percent of Gen X and 70 percent of Baby Boomers agree that they want to receive more information about employee benefits when it isn’t time for open enrollment.

Traditionally, organizations have an annual meeting or send out an email with bulky attachments to communicate important information about employee benefits. That process doesn’t align with the way people absorb information in a digital age. It’s much more advantageous for employers to send out shorter, bite-sized benefits communications over a longer period of time to improve benefits understanding. Breaking down benefits communications and spreading them out throughout the year could boost employees’ confidence about their benefits knowledgeability and significantly reduce the aversion many employees have to open enrollment as a tedious, confusing process.

According to Aflac, 54 percent of employees experience anxiety about health care costs that are not covered by health insurance, 48 percent admitted they couldn’t pay $1,000 for out-of-pocket medical expenses without relying on debt or credit and most upsetting, 46 percent of employees have delayed medical care because of cost concerns. Employees are clearly overwhelmed by healthcare costs and thankfully, they’re ready to pay closer attention during open enrollment. Now it’s time for employers to make the process easier for them.

How to Help Employees Prepare for Open Enrollment 2020

by LizStevens | Oct 16, 2019 | Blog

How to help employees prepare for open enrollment 2020. Being more knowledgeable about health insurance benefits will help them enroll in the plan that’s right for them.

U.S. workers dread open enrollment almost as much as going to the DMV to renew their driver’s license, according to a survey by MetLife.

This level of apprehension may explain why employees make hasty benefits decisions. One in five employees spend only a few minutes reviewing benefits plans before making a selection. Another survey by UnitedHealthcare found nearly 40 percent of employees devote less than one hour to the open enrollment process.

It’s unfortunate employees are rushing benefits decisions, especially when employers are taking a more active role in driving down healthcare costs.

What can employers do to help employees better understand how different health insurance plans affect out-of-pocket costs for healthcare?

Terms Employees Need to Know for Open Enrollment 2020

One reason workers dislike the open enrollment process could be because they don’t understand the terms used when discussing health insurance and healthcare costs. UnitedHealthcare found that some workers struggle with health literacy and defining terms like:

Health Plan Premium – The amount of money a person pays for a health insurance plan each month. (Only 59% knew the correct meaning.)
Health Plan Deductible – The amount a person pays for health care services before insurance coverage starts. (Only 53% knew the correct meaning.)
Out-of-Pocket Maximum – The maximum amount a person must pay for covered health expenses during a plan year. (Only 33% knew the correct meaning.)
Co-Insurance – The share of costs for a covered health care service a person must pay after health insurance coverage is factored in. (Only 21% knew the correct meaning.)

Misunderstanding these terms when selecting health insurance benefits could lead to higher premiums, co-pays and out of pocket costs.

Additionally, just over half of employees check if their doctors are in-network for the health plan they select. If their doctor happens to be out-of-network on their new plan, it could lead to serious headaches over higher co-pays or finding a new doctor that is in-network.

How to Help Employees Prepare for Open Enrollment 2020

Seventy-five percent of employees told UnitedHealthcare they felt prepared for open enrollment, but there’s a disconnect somewhere since most employees struggled to define basic health insurance terms.

Clearly, there are a lot of factors that employees need to consider when selecting healthcare benefits during open enrollment 2020. Here are four ways that employers can communicate with employees about open enrollment to increase their understanding of the process and prompt them to review selections more diligently:

Build a guide, checklist or cheatsheet for employees to use when reviewing available benefits.
Hold a meeting before open enrollment to go over changes in costs and healthcare offerings.
Send out an email before open enrollment that goes over terminology and the factors employees should consider when selecting their healthcare plans.
Designate a contact for questions. If an employee has a question about open enrollment should they ask their direct supervisor? A member of the HR team? Call a representative from the insurance broker?

“Employees have the unique opportunity to leverage a growing number of benefits from their employers—benefits that are specifically tailored to their needs and the needs of their families,” said Meredith Ryan-Reid, senior vice president, Group Benefits at MetLife. “But first, they need to be armed with a better understanding of how these employer-offered benefits can play a central role in protecting them against the unexpected and helping them achieve their short- and long-term financial goals.”

More On Healthcare, Health Insurance and Open Enrollment

Employee Benefits Success is All About Communication

Choosing the Most Important Benefits to Employees in 2020

What the Multigenerational Workforce Needs From Employers

What’s Wrong with Wellness Program Incentives?

Top 10 Employee Benefits for 2020

5 Must-Have Benefits for Millennial Employees

World Mental Health Day 2019: Supporting Employees at Work

by LizStevens | Oct 8, 2019 | Blog

World Mental Health Day 2019: Supporting employees at work. These are five ways employers can reduce work-related risk factors and promote mental health at work.

World Mental Health Day 2019: Supporting Employees at Work

The World Health Organization (WHO) has outlined five ways employers can reduce work-related mental health risk factors, including high job demands, low supervisor and coworker support, job insecurity and long work hours.

Plus, advances in technology are making it easier for employers to give employees access to mental health benefits that can help.

5 Ways to Promote Mental Health at Work

Research by Harvard Business Review found that less than half of employees felt their employers prioritized mental health and even fewer viewed their company leaders as mental health advocates. Most employees, 86 percent to be precise, think a company’s culture should support mental health.

Here are the WHO’s five ways employers can promote mental health, adapted from a guide from the World Economic Forum:

Implement and enforce health and safety policies and practices, including identification of distress, harmful use of psychoactive substances and illness and providing resources to manage them.
Inform employees that mental health support is available.
Involve employees in decision-making, conveying a feeling of control and participation.
Create organizational practices that support a healthy work-life balance and build programs for career development.
Recognize and reward the contributions of employees.

A study led by the WHO found that for every $1 employers put into scaled up treatment for common mental disorders, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.

Mental Health Benefits During Open Enrollment

We’re only a month away from open enrollment and there have been plenty of technological developments that make it easier for employers to provide benefits that support the mental health of employees.

A recent analysis from the National Business Group on Health found that more than 80 percent of employers will provide mental health services to employees virtually. One-third of employers will offer onsite mental health counselors. More than 25 percent will provide digital cognitive behavioral therapy for mental health issues. And nearly half will provide training for managers to help them recognize mental health issues and guide workers to resources.

Now is the time to consider what kind of mental health benefits your organization offers and how you can use new technology to give employees access to programs and tools that can help.

What Are the Deadlines for Open Enrollment 2024?

What are the deadlines for Open Enrollment 2024?

Special enrollment periods for Open Enrollment 2024

What Are the Deadlines for Open Enrollment 2022?

When is open enrollment 2022?

Other Dates and Special Enrollment Periods

How Do You Make Open Enrollment Easier for Employees?

How Do You Make Open Enrollment Easier for Employees?

More on Topics Related to Open Enrollment and Benefits Communications

How to Help Employees Prepare for Open Enrollment 2020

Terms Employees Need to Know for Open Enrollment 2020

How to Help Employees Prepare for Open Enrollment 2020

More On Healthcare, Health Insurance and Open Enrollment

World Mental Health Day 2019: Supporting Employees at Work

World Mental Health Day 2019: Supporting Employees at Work

5 Ways to Promote Mental Health at Work

Mental Health Benefits During Open Enrollment

More on Topics Related to World Mental Health Day 2019

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