Give Your Health Insurance a Check-up!

Fall isn’t just a time for pulling out your warm sweaters and crunching through the fallen leaves. It’s the season of open enrollment, your annual chance to ask “Is my health insurance plan working for me?”

Figuring out your insurance options can be a complex process. Here are some tips for getting started:

Know when your open enrollment period begins and ends.

• Open enrollment periods vary by workplace, but it’s usually a 30-day period in the fall.
• For state health exchanges, open enrollment begins November 1, 2017, and ends December 15, 2017, for coverage starting January 1, 2018, check out healthcare.gov for more information.

Think about the benefits you will need.

• Learn as much as you can about each plan and choose the one that best fits your needs.
• Your employer or state health exchange may have an online tool to help you compare plans. The Emily Program has a “What to ask your insurance company” guide if you’re searching for a plan that offers the most comprehensive eating disorder coverage.

Want to stick with your current health care plan?

• Ask yourself “Was I able to get the care I needed in 2017 or was I limited by my network? Do I anticipate changing healthcare priorities that might make another plan a better fit?”
• Many health insurance plans change at the beginning of the year. If your plan is changing, review the details and make sure it still works for you.

Think about future health care costs.

• Consider a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA). Both funds let you save money to pay for certain medical expenses tax-free. (Already have money in an FSA or HSA? Figure out ways to spend that money on qualifying health expenses before it expires at the end of your benefit period.)