The most hectic time to be a broker is the window when employees are allowed to make changes to their insurance plans. Employee Navigator’s Open Enrollment tool takes the strain off of brokers by simplifying the process.
In our Open Enrollment series, we’ll discuss all methods to simplify your experience. Our first posts stresses the importance of planning ahead with these tips:
Treat it like a project & create a plan and timeline
To make the process as smooth as possible, start early. Communicate with your client early to help them understand why Open Enrollment is so important. Confirm carrier deadlines and make sure all materials are ready. The carrier deadline is what should drive your timeline. Keep enrollment window brief; the longer you give the employer, the longer they take to complete it.
Get everyone on the same page
Create a timeline
This is a project that should have defined timelines in order to keep people accountable. Start by contacting carriers to determine deadlines for enrollment submission. Next, factor in the time you need to gather the data for submission. Share these carrier deadlines with HR in order to define timeline for employee enrollments. You should encourage HR to keep enrollment window brief; the longer you give the more time employees take to complete
Define roles
Delegating responsibilities upfront will put all parties on the same page and eliminate confusion.
- What is HR responsible for?
- What are your responsibilities?
- What is the system responsible for?
Get Employees Involved with an “Active” enrollment
This is an excellent opportunity to introduce or re-engage employees to the platform by requiring them to participate. It’ll hold each employee accountable for their enrollment and will require employees to verify employee and dependent information. An active enrollment also allows you to sell more voluntary products.
Read Part 2 of our Open Enrollment Series: Using 3rd Party Apps
