Open enrollment periods typically bring with them a lot of tasks with tight deadlines for both HR teams and employees. This can typically lead to a number of common questions related to benefits coverage options that employees need answers to in order to make the right decisions for themselves and their families.
Even when you send out regular emails or benefits education resources, employee questions are inevitable. However, typically these questions tend to surround similar topics. If HR teams can anticipate these most commonly asked questions, it can help them to take a much more proactive stance when providing employees with the necessary resources.
Below are the most common employee questions that come up during open enrollment and how you can answer them effectively.
1. What are the deadlines for enrollment?
Nothing stresses out HR teams and employees more than missing an important reporting deadline for open enrollment. The good news is that there are many ways you can provide an answer to these questions with the use of helpful company resources.
Make sure OE deadlines are clearly marked on your company’s intranet, monthly newsletters, and team meeting agendas. You want to ensure the deadlines are clearly marked and explain how important they are for all staff members.
Clearly note to employees that after the system locks out of OE periods, they won’t be able to make any additional changes to their plans unless there is a qualifying life event.
2. What are qualifying life events (QLEs)?
QLEs are commonly referenced in benefits plans. These are the only times outside of open enrollment periods when employees will be able to make any changes to their benefits coverage details.
It’s important to ensure your employees have a clear understanding of what does and doesn’t count as a QLE. While certain providers may have their own stipulations surrounding QLEs, you’ll want to outline events like getting married, finalizing divorces, or having a child.
Explain that QLEs have a short window before you can no longer apply them to current benefits plans – typically 30-60 days maximum.
3. How much will my benefits cost me?
While adequate health coverage is important to employees, there are always costs associated with it. And this is one area where all of your teams will want transparency before making any changes to their benefits plans.
You will need to help your teams understand the difference between monthly premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. Keep in mind that not all your employees may have had access to health insurance coverage in the past, so you’ll need to be clear on how this process works.
Another thing you’ll want to inform your teams about is their usage costs. These are the deductibles that might be in place before their full coverage begins. One of the best ways to keep all this information organized is by leveraging plan comparison summaries or premium cost calculator tools for employees to use whenever needed.
4. Is my current doctor covered by this plan?
A major consideration for employees when their benefits plan changes is whether they’re allowed to keep their current doctors. A lot of this will depend on the type of carrier network you choose and the amount of flexibility you afford to employees.
Instead of fielding these questions individually, try to find ways to give employees the tools to gather this information themselves. Point them to relevant sections of the carriers’ website or documentation.
For any employees whose eligibility depends on certain hours worked, remind them that keeping that coverage relies on your look-back measurement method. If their working arrangements have changed since their original enrollment, this will also need to be considered.
5. Are dental and vision benefits included with the medical plan?
If employees aren’t reading or understanding their benefits coverage carefully, they may assume that things like dental or vision care are covered as part of their healthcare options.
However, dental and vision are almost always separate line items requiring their own specific enrollment plans. If employees misunderstand this, it could lead to unexpected out-of-pocket expenses when receiving treatments.
If you have separate dental or vision plans available, make sure the coverage amounts and details are clearly outlined to them. Also, be sure to remind employees of the importance of checking the frequency limits on things like exams or hardware before signing up or making a claim.
6. How do I enroll my spouse/children?
Bringing family members onto a plan is a two-part process, and the second part is where people usually make mistakes. First, they have to actually select the “family” or “spouse” tier in the system. But simply choosing this selection isn’t enough. They will also need to prove this relationship exists.
Make sure to outline the requirements your employees may need when signing up dependents for their coverage. This often means gathering marriage licenses, birth certificates, social security numbers, or adoption papers for a family member.
Be sure to be clear on how to safely and securely provide this information and give clear instructions on how to verify their dependant eligibility.
7. Where can I find the full details for each plan?
Employees need access to the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) to make sure they’re able to clearly understand all the details of what’s included in their plans.
By providing access to a centralized data source, they can use it to find all this information. In addition to information surrounding their actual benefits coverage, make sure you provide transparency on how the business is meeting any specific legal rules or compliance regulations it needs concerning coverage limits or details surrounding Section 125 planning.
Keep Your Employees Informed
Answering these common benefits questions clearly and consistently is important for a smooth enrollment process.
By providing your employees with accurate information and easily accessible resources, you can help them navigate important life decisions with confidence.
Author Bio: Frank Mengert
Frank Mengert continues to find success by spotting opportunities where others see nothing. As the founder and CEO of ebm, a leading provider of employee benefits solutions. Frank has built the business by bridging the gap between insurance and technology-driven solutions for brokers, consultants, carriers, and employers nationwide.
