The majority of your employees DON’T have a solid grasp of their health insurance benefits. What’s worse is this: 80% of all business owners and HR experts claim their employees don’t even read their health insurance benefits.
If you feel your employees all fall into this same category, here are five strategies to help your employees get a better understanding of their benefits package.
5 Simple Ways To Help Employees Understand Their Health Insurance Benefits.
#1: Make Sure The Information Is Easy To Understand – If your benefits package is 25 to 50 pages long, your employees won’t read it. And if it is, we recommend having a one-page executive summary page to help them understand the core benefits of their package. If they need more information, have your plan’s details available.
#2: Keep It Interesting – Employees have a high degree of interest in health insurance; therefore, it is your job to keep them engaged by simplifying the language so the average person can comprehend it. We also recommend sending an e-mail about:
- Benefit Deadlines
- Deductibles
- Open Enrollment Dates
- Upcoming Changes
#3: Get Your Health Insurance Broker Involved – Your broker is a cost-effective option that should be leveraged. They also know the ins and outs of the industry and can educate the staff about your plan’s options, deductibles, co-pays, referrals, HMOs, PPOs, FSA, etc.
#4: Host A Lunch And Learn Seminar(s) – Having an informal meeting with your employees will help them avoid information overload. By choosing an informal venue, you will help keep their attention and pique their interest. We recommend having these meetings as open-enrollment approaches or as deadlines loom.
#5: Help Employees Find The Time To Stay Healthy – Although you are not required to give paid time off for an annual checkup or screening, it is in your best interest to ensure your employees stay focused on their health.
Executive Summary: Employees need AND want to know about their health benefit options. However, it can often be overwhelming and confusing. By using the knowledge of your health insurance broker, as well as engaging and timely employee communications, you can keep everyone well-informed and interested.
