Open Enrollment Checklist: How Employers Can Prepare for a Successful Benefits Enrollment Season

Review Your Current Benefits Strategy

Before introducing next year’s benefits, take time to evaluate how your plan performed in the last year.

Ask questions like:

• Are employees using Preferred-Value Providers or other high-value healthcare options?
• Are preventive care services being utilized?
• Which healthcare services are driving the highest costs and what can you do about it?
• What questions did employees ask most often during last year’s open enrollment and throughout the year?

Healthcare claims data and employee feedback can help identify opportunities to improve your benefit plan and communication strategy.

The goal isn’t simply to offer more educational materials; it’s to make sure employees understand their benefits and use them effectively.

Simplify Complex Benefits Information

Health benefits can be confusing. During open enrollment, a lot of information competes for employees’ attention during a short timeframe.

When employees don’t understand their options, they’re less likely to choose a plan that’s right for their needs or effectively use their benefits when they need them.

You can make benefits easier for employees to understand by using:

• Brief documents with simple language
• Comparison charts
• Short educational videos
• Cost calculators
• Decision-support/care navigation tools
• Answers to frequently asked questions

Remember, employees don’t need more information; they need clearer information.

Communicate Early and Keep Communicating

One of the biggest mistakes employers make is treating benefit communications as a two-week event during open enrollment.

Employee engagement efforts should begin weeks before enrollment opens and continue year-round.

Develop a communications calendar that includes reminders before, during, and after open enrollment using multiple channels, including:

• Email
• Printed materials (like flyers and postcards)
• Intranet announcements
• Virtual and onsite meetings
• Mobile communications

Employees absorb information differently. Consider your workforce demographics and the communication methods they prefer. For example, younger employees may prefer email, text messages, or digital resources, while other employees may value in-person benefit fairs or having someone available to answer their questions one-on-one. Using a mix of communication channels can help ensure everyone has access to the information they need.

Help Employees Become Better Healthcare Consumers

Open enrollment isn’t just about employees selecting a health plan. It’s an opportunity to educate your workforce about how to use their benefits effectively.

Employees should understand:

• How to find in-network providers
• The value of preventive care
• Appropriate site of care (when to use primary care versus urgent care or the emergency room)
• How to compare healthcare costs between providers before receiving care
• How to access virtual care, wellness resources, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

When employees know how to navigate the healthcare system, they’re more likely to receive the right care at the right place for the right cost. This means better value for employees and lower costs for the health plan.

Highlight High-Value Care Options

Many employees continue seeing the same providers because they’re familiar, even when equal-quality, lower-cost options are available.

If your benefit plan includes Preferred-Value Providers or incentives for choosing high-value care, make those benefits easy to understand.

Employees should know:

• Which providers are considered Preferred-Value Providers
• How much they can save by choosing them
• Which services offer the greatest savings opportunities
• Where to access provider search and cost comparison tools

When employees understand the financial, quality, and accessibility benefits of Preferred-Value Providers, they’re more likely to use them.

Include Covered Family Members in the Conversation

Benefit decisions often involve more than the employee. Many times, spouses and family members help evaluate healthcare options and make health plan enrollment decisions.

Whenever possible, extend benefit communications beyond the workplace by:

• Mailing information to employees’ homes
• Inviting spouses to benefits fairs or meetings
• Providing digital resources employees can easily share with family members

Including families helps ensure everyone understands available benefits and can make informed decisions together.

Focus on the Benefits Employees Value Most

Employees often focus on premium costs while overlooking the full value of their benefits.

Open enrollment is the perfect time to highlight resources that employees may not realize are available, including:

• Preventive care covered at no cost
• Mental health services
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
• Wellness programs
• Telehealth services
• Prescription savings opportunities
• Retirement and financial wellness resources

Helping employees understand the complete value of their benefits can increase satisfaction and improve utilization of preventive and maintenance services.

Make a Communication Plan Beyond Open Enrollment

Educating employees about their benefits shouldn’t end once enrollment closes.

Employees often don’t pay attention to their benefits until they need them. That’s why year-round communication is essential.

Consider creating an annual benefits communication calendar that includes reminders about:

• Preventive care appointments
• Wellness challenges
• Healthcare cost-saving tips
• Flexible Spending Account deadlines
• Mail-order pharmacy options
• Choosing the right site of care
• Seasonal health topics

Consistent education reinforces good healthcare decisions throughout the year instead of asking employees to remember everything during open enrollment.