18 Sep Open Enrollment for Group Health Insurance in 2017-2018

Open Enrollment for Group Health Insurance is coming for 2017-2018. It’s important to prepare for open enrollment. Group health plan sponsors should be aware of the legal changes affecting the design and administration of their plans, for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2018.

Employers should review their plan documents to confirm that they include these required changes. In addition, any changes to a health plan’s benefits for the 2018 plan year should be communicated to plan participants through an updated summary plan description (SPD) or a summary of material modifications (SMM).

Health plan sponsors should also confirm that their open enrollment materials contain certain required participant notices, when applicable. For example, the summary of benefits and coverage (SBC) should be reviewed and understood. There are also some participant notices that must be provided annually or upon initial enrollment. To minimize costs and streamline administration, employers should consider including these notices in their open enrollment materials.  Synergy provides this streamlined approach for our clients.

If you have questions about your group health plan, and want additional information, please call me. I can help you understand the specifics of group health insurance plans.