Open Enrollment
Navigate by topic:
Review and Renew Your Health Benefits
Open enrollment is your once-a-year chance
It’s likely been a year since you thought about your health benefits. Take a fresh look! Your life changes. And your health needs change. Now’s the perfect time to review your benefits options. With most companies that offer health benefits, you can change your benefits during a 30-day window between October and December. This is called open enrollmentopen enrollment
A time, often in the fall, when employees choose their health plans for the following year. You typi... more.
How to approach open enrollment
First, find out when open enrollmentopen enrollment
A time, often in the fall, when employees choose their health plans for the following year. You typi... more starts at your job. Then review your benefits materials. Or go to your health planhealth plan
A health plan that you buy or that is provided by your employer. It pays for health care services. I... more’s website to review your current plan.
A good idea: Make a list of the benefits you already have that are most important to you. Then note all the things you'd like to change. You can use this list when you review changes to your new benefits options. It’ll help you focus on the benefits you’re really looking for.
Your open enrollment with an individual plan
If you have an individual plan, you can still take a fresh look at your options. Just ask your carrier when you can make open enrollmentopen enrollment
A time, often in the fall, when employees choose their health plans for the following year. You typi... more changes. And what the guidelines are.
But if you’re still looking for benefits, check with any professional or alumni association you may belong to (or could join). Many of these associations offer group coveragegroup coverage
Plans supported by an employer or employee organization that provide health coverage to employees as... more, which can be at a great rate. You can also visit your state Department of Insurance website. Or talk with an insurance broker to find an individual plan that's right for you.
Your beneftis changes last a full year
Unless you have a major life event — like you change jobs, get married or have a baby — your benefits decisions last a full year. So think long and hard about your choices before you sign on the dotted line.
Ask yourself these type of questions:
- Is your doctor still in networkin network
Refers to care received from providers who participate in a health benefit plan's provider network, ... more? - Will any planned surgeries or procedures be covered by your plan?
- Will you have medical expenses that you save on with a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
A FSA is an account tied to an employer-sponsored health plan. It can be used to pay for medical exp... more?
For many people, it’s hard to find the time to review their current benefits. And then understand the new benefits offered. If you’re short on time, this might help.
What plan features are most important to you?
It may be prescription costs. Or no referrals. Or having a certain specialistspecialist
A physician who provides medical care in a medical or surgical specialty or subspecialty (for exampl... more in the networknetwork
Also called "provider network." A panel of physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals... more.
With the Health Plan Matchmaker, you can figure out your health care needs and which benefits are most important to you. If you find a term you don’t know, just look for it in the glossary.
Figuring out your out-of-pocket costs
Do you pay attention to what you spend out of your pocket for health care? If not, now’s the time. There are plenty of health plans and accounts available that can lower the taxes you pay on eligible health expenses. Like a Health Savings Account (HSA)Health Savings Account (HSA)
This savings account allows people to pay current health care costs or save for future expenses. To ... more or a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
A FSA is an account tied to an employer-sponsored health plan. It can be used to pay for medical exp... more. You can find eligible expenses here.
© 2012 Aetna Inc.