Your complete checklist to Open Enrollment during Covid-19

Use this Open Enrollment checklist template as a handy guide to ensure you’ve covered the bases of everything you and your employees will need to know as you approach dates and deadlines for Open Enrollment (OE).

This checklist works like a workback schedule, starting 90 days before your open enrollment period and ending when the coverage begins. Feel free to customize, edit, and adapt this template to your unique business needs.

Here’s a quick chart to help:

80-90 Days Before

Create a plan and establish goals for open enrollment

This is where Premier will help you look back at your year and determine the changes you’d like to see as a company to your benefits.

❏    Identify the number of employees eligible for benefits.
❏    Align company goals with broker(Premier) and administrator for the renewal period, with the help of these questions:
❏    Are you and your employees happy with the current carrier and their provider network?
❏    Are you and your employees satisfied with your current benefits structure?
❏    Do you anticipate business changes that may impact your financial situation with respect to Benefits allocation?
❏    Has there been any major change in your workforce? (e.g., New out-of-state offices or employees, change of company name, merger, etc.)
❏    Check benchmarking data for companies of similar size and in similar locations.
❏    Determine Federal vs State COBRA needs.
❏    Confirm who will serve as point-of-contact for employees’ benefits questions.
❏    Provide an open enrollment schedule to staff.

60-80 Days Before

Review broker package rates

This is where Premier will shop plans, determine pricing, and work within your company budget line items for benefits:

❏    Review renewal packages with your broker (Premier).
❏    Ensure that your broker (Premier) follows up as they gather quotes from current and alternative carriers.
❏    Ensure that your broker(Premier) plan options meet ACA requirements and are compliant with state and local ordinances.
❏    Review usage rates, costs, and availability of additional perks or programs you will offer throughout the enrollment period, such as wellness programs, commuter benefits, FSA,  HSA, etc.

50-60 Days Before

Finalize plan selections for the upcoming year

This is where Premier will help the HR admin and other decision-makers determine the company approved plans that will be rolled out for the following year’s coverage.

❏    Coordinate time with decision-makers to review plan options for the upcoming year, as prepared by your broker (Premier).
❏    Finalize and plan selections for the upcoming year and confirm with your broker (Premier).
❏    Coordinate with your broker(Premier) to provide educational resources to employees during open enrollment including; FAQ and glossary, open enrollment booklet, etc. to help your staff firmly understand the nuances of each plan.

40-50 Days Before

Prepare for open enrollment

This is where Premier helps your HR Manager(s) focus on communication and education of the open enrollment dates and plan options with staff. Due to Covid-19, Premier is providing the option to schedule a Live Q&A Zoom with your Premier dedicated team so your staff can ask questions about the plan options. Prior to the call, we will provide an online form your staff can submit questions through. For those staff members who cannot attend, Premier will provide a password protect on-demand recap of the Q&A session.

❏    Update company calendar with important open enrollment dates and deadlines
❏    Work with broker(Premier) to create and distribute summaries of plan options
❏    Schedule open enrollment meetings to review dates for open enrollment, plan and cost changes
❏    Announce new perks or programs (ie: wellness programs, commuter benefits, etc.)

30-45 Days Before

Open enrollment is live!

This is where Premier will work with your HR Manager(s) to ensure employees have selected plans before the deadline date.

We recommend staying in constant communication to help ensure all employees elect or decline coverage.

❏    Employees make their selections
❏    Send reminders to staff that enrollment is starting
❏    Provide office hours or shared resources to continue to help answer questions

30 Days Before

Submit group and employee changes to insurance carriers

This is when, once you have all employee benefits selections, Premier will help you with for final approval.

❏    Your broker (Premier) will submit the group application and employee plan selections to the insurance carrier.
❏    Continue to follow up until approved

Coverage Effective Date

Congrats! This is when your new benefits coverage begins for employees. Changes to rates and plans will occur at this time.

❏    Update employee handbook with most recent information and summaries
❏    Check that all employees received ID cards
❏    Verify deductions are confirmed in the payroll system for employees
❏    Provide contact info for employees for questions and needs