An open enrollment season like no other

Many companies are in the middle of “open enrollment” season, when employees are able to enroll in a health plan or make changes to their current benefits coverage. This is the time to provide answers to questions like “Just how wide is the network of doctors and hospitals?” and “Which plan gives me the best value for my money?”

If yours is one of the 60 percent of U.S. companies that provide health insurance to employees, you’ll want to simplify the process as much as possible. With all of the bigger questions swirling around health-care reform, here are several tips to help employees make informed decisions about health and health care benefits, and maximize your investment as an employer.

Communicate simply and clearly

An Institute of Medicine report from last year showed that nearly half of all American adults – 90 million people – have difficulty understanding and using health information. When you communicate, either through company newsletters, e-mail, memos or bulletin board postings, use simple terms and a conversational, personable style. If the information you receive from your insurer is hard to understand, contact your account manager and ask him or her to clarify. Make it a point to send out information well ahead of enrollment deadlines, so employees have plenty of time to figure out which plan best meets their total health needs and budget.

Make it mandatory but keep it interesting

Many companies set up group or individual open enrollment meetings where an account manager from your insurance carrier or human resources staff lays out options to employees and answers questions. When planning these meetings, ask yourself how you can get employees excited about their benefits. Take the time to develop an agenda that is built around energetic, knowledgeable speakers, personal testimonials and meaningful information. Several local companies actually host benefit fairs and carnivals, building events around themes such as “Don’t Gamble with Your Benefits” or “Let’s Get Physical!”

Use time to encourage healthy behaviors

Studies show that 85 percent of ill health is a result of our own poor health choices. When you promote health and wellness you’re not only helping to contain company costs, you’re helping employees feel better and work better. Use open enrollment time to encourage employees to “know their numbers” (cholesterol and blood pressure), get regular exercise, stop smoking and eat a healthy diet. If you’re going to serve food, make it healthy – think fruit instead of donuts!

Promote your own benefits package

It’s no secret that average annual premium costs per employee continue to rise. As a result, many employers are passing on more of the cost to employees, while benefits are getting thinner. If this is the case within your company, it’s important that your employees understand how keeping expenses in check supports the long-term viability of the company and its ability to grow, and the value of the benefits package offered to them. Too often, employees don’t fully understand the value of their total compensation package – and what you’re spending on their behalf.

Teach the ABCs of CDHPs

Consumer-driven health plans or CDHPs have gained popularity in the past several years as a way for both employers and employees to control increasing health-care costs. These plans include Health Savings Accounts, Health Reimbursement Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts and defined contribution plans. The ever-growing trend toward CDHPs involves more advanced planning. If you’ve been offering a PPO or HMO but would like to introduce or migrate to a CDHP, you will need to take extra time to explain it. If you invest time up front in helping your employees to understand how these plans work, you’re guaranteed to see better adoption.

Health benefits are an important component of total compensation for your employees and key to being able to attract and keep new talent in your organization. Make sure you make the most of open enrollment so that employees get answers to all of their questions and they understand the value of their health benefits package. A little time and the right information can result in the best decisions, saving you and your employees a lot of money.

John Martie is president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado.

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