Whenever your group health plan renews — January, April, July, or any other month — it is easy to feel the hard part is over once the renewal is settled. But the plan you chose only works if your employees actually enroll: in the right plan, with the right family members, on time. For the many groups renewing January 1, open enrollment also lands in the busiest weeks of the year, so a little planning now prevents a scramble in late December.
Work Backward From the Carrier Deadline
Your renewal date is when coverage starts, not when paperwork is due. Carriers typically need enrollment changes some time before the effective date to have ID cards and records ready, and the exact deadline varies by carrier and by whether you are with a carrier directly or through Covered California for Small Business (CCSB).
Start with that deadline and work backward. Give employees enough time to decide, and leave yourself a buffer to chase missing forms. If you renew January 1, holiday schedules mean many employees will be out the last two weeks of December, so finishing before then is usually the safer plan.
What Employees Need to See
Employees make better choices when they can see the whole picture in one place:
- The plan options available to them for the new plan year
- What each option will cost them per paycheck, based on your contribution
- The Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for each plan
- A short note on what changed from the current plan year — new carrier, new network, new deductible
Distribute the SBC with your enrollment materials. If a plan’s network changed, call it out plainly. The most common complaint after a renewal is an employee discovering their doctor is no longer in network.
Don’t Skip the Waivers
When an eligible employee declines coverage, collect a signed waiver that records the reason, such as coverage through a spouse. Carriers commonly use waivers to confirm participation requirements are met, and a waiver on file can matter if questions come up later. A missing waiver is easier to collect during enrollment than months later.
Dependents and Life Changes
Open enrollment is generally the one time each year employees can add or remove family members without a qualifying life event. Remind employees to check who is on their coverage. A new spouse, a child who has aged out, or a family member who now has their own coverage should all be addressed now — not discovered after the renewal date.
A Simple Timeline
Whatever your renewal date, a workable schedule often looks like this:
- Week 1: Announce open enrollment and share plan materials and SBCs
- Week 2: Hold a short meeting or video call to answer questions
- Week 3: Collect enrollment forms and waivers
- Week 4: Review for missing items and submit to the carrier before its deadline
Adjust the weeks to your carrier’s deadline, not the calendar.
A Familiar Scenario
A small dental office in Burbank renewed with a new network for January. The owner waited until the week before Christmas to send enrollment forms, two employees were away, and one hygienist didn’t learn until January that her family’s pediatrician was out of network. Starting in November, with the network change called out in writing, would have given everyone time to plan.
We’re Here To Help!
We can help you build your enrollment timeline, prepare plan comparisons for employees, and answer employee questions in a short online group session. Reach out about six weeks before your renewal date — or now, if you renew January 1 — so enrollment is wrapped up in time. Call us at 818-253-1736 or use the contact form on our website.
This article is general information about small group benefits enrollment. Enrollment deadlines, participation requirements, and plan details vary by carrier. It is not legal or tax advice; questions about your obligations as an employer should go to your ERISA vendor, counsel, or CPA.