Open enrollment has a lot of moving parts. Miss one step and you could end up with gaps in coverage, unhappy employees, or compliance problems. Use this checklist to stay on track.
60–90 Days Before Renewal
- ☐ Review current plan utilization and claims data
- ☐ Assess employee satisfaction with current coverage
- ☐ Request quotes from your broker for competing carriers
- ☐ Decide whether to change plan structure (PPO vs. HDHP, deductible levels, etc.)
- ☐ Confirm your renewal date with your current carrier
30–45 Days Before Renewal
- ☐ Select your plan(s) for the upcoming year
- ☐ Prepare employee communication materials
- ☐ Schedule an employee Q&A meeting or send informational materials
- ☐ Distribute enrollment forms or open the online enrollment portal
- ☐ Communicate the enrollment deadline clearly to all employees
1–2 Weeks Before Deadline
- ☐ Send reminder to employees who haven’t completed enrollment
- ☐ Collect all enrollment elections
- ☐ Verify dependent information for any employees adding/removing dependents
- ☐ Submit enrollment to the carrier
At Renewal
- ☐ Confirm new ID cards are issued to employees
- ☐ Update payroll deductions for the new plan year
- ☐ Update FSA/HSA contribution amounts in payroll
- ☐ Confirm COBRA notices are sent to any terminated employees
Year-Round
- ☐ Track qualifying life events that allow mid-year enrollment changes
- ☐ Ensure new hires are enrolled within their eligibility window
- ☐ Keep broker contact information readily available for employee questions
Garden State Benefits walks you through every one of these steps. Get in touch and we’ll handle the heavy lifting so you don’t have to.