Get the Most from Your Employer Health Care Program
With the end of the year fast approaching, many employees are starting to become anxious. It’s that time of year again, the time when they get to tweak their health insurance benefits. While this may be exciting to some, the responsibility to choose the right health insurance plan can be a source of tension for others.
There are many reasons for this. Personal circumstance comes into play, including additions to family. Since the days when employers offered either a low-cost HMO or an expensive PPO, the maze of health insurance options has increased significantly. With health insurance costs on the rise, it’s more important than ever to make sure you are getting the most coverage for your money.
Here are 5 mistakes to avoid in an open enrollment benefit session:
Mistake #1- Saying No to Health Savings Accounts
Less than 20% of those given the option of opening a Health Savings Account choose to take advantage of this potentially valuable opportunity. If you break it down, these turn out to be the equivalent of free money, and can really give you a leg up towards paying for medical expenses.
Mistake #2- Picking the Cheapest Health Insurance Premium
It’s easy to look at a low cost and choose the cheapest health insurance plan because we may think it's all we can afford. What many fail to realize, however, is that low-cost health insurance premiums often offer significantly less coverage. This could lead to big trouble in the long run if your health care needs outweigh the coverage available.
Mistake #3- Not Doing Your Health Insurance Research
Nine out of ten people renew their old health insurance plans for the upcoming year. This isn’t always a bad thing, such as when your needs haven’t changed and you’ve researched the available options. However, even if your health insurance needs are the same as they were last year, review the plans available to make sure that nothing has been changed on their end. Benefits and premiums may not be the same as last year, so make sure that you know exactly what you’re signing up for.
Mistake #4- Under-Buying
Under-insuring is one of the worst mistakes you can make, as once you’ve signed into a health insurance plan, you’re locked into it either until there is a change in family demographics or open enrollment comes up again. That’s it. There’s no in between. It would be nice to think that by the time you need it, you’ll have thrown enough money into your Health Savings Account to cover the cost of the premium, but there’s no guarantee. You could find yourself paying a large sum out of pocket.
Mistake #5- Over-Buying Health Insurance Coverage
Throwing a high premium at the possibility of a life altering health-related disaster may provide you with quite a safety net, but financially it could turn out to be an unwise move. This is not to say that choosing the cheapest health insurance plan is always the best option for an individual with a clean bill of health, as we are all at risk for accident or unexpected illness. Finding something in the middle is ofen sufficient. Consider a high deductible with a limited network to keep premium costs low while providing coverage against a major health care expense.
Yes, open enrollment can be a source of tension, but if you play it right, as most people don’t, you’ll find that next year’s open enrollment isn’t the confusing maze that some make it out to be. Open enrollment for health insurance coverage is there to give you options that can help you. Don’t pass up a good opportunity to make a smart move.
Do you need personal health insurance, or better health insurance for your employees?
We can help. Please contact us today: 800-947-1270
