30-day Open Enrollment
Plans were required to offer a minimum of 30 days for open enrollment for the first plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2010. The purpose was to provide an adequate opportunity to enroll for individuals who were previously excluded from the plan due to the imposition of lifetime limits or age. Notice requirements also applied.
Note: The requirement to provide a minimum period of time for enrollment only applies to certain types of health plans, such as major medical insurance. It does not apply to HIPAA excepted benefits, such as disability, cancer, hospital indemnity, or accident insurance.
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30-day Open Enrollment Hot Topics & FAQs
- What do I do if the state health plan in which we participate did not offer a 30 day open enrollment?
Answer: The new rules prohibiting lifetime limits and extending eligibility for adult children to age 26 also require that plans provide affected individuals 30 days to enroll for the first plan year beginning on or after September 23, 2010. However, some schools and municipalities, for example, participate in state-sponsored health plans and some states do not typically provide a 30-day open enrollment. One solution may be to calculate 30 days from the beginning of the health plan open enrollment, and if an employee asks for coverage adjustments during that window, you would still allow and notify the state plan’s administrator of the change.
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Additional Resources
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30-Day Enrollment Notice Requirements
Summary of notice requirements in connection with 30-day enrollment
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Lifetime Limit
Summary of plan design mandate
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Coverage of Adult Children
Summary of plan design mandate
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American Fidelity’s Enrollment Services
Our enrollment experience is your Health Care Reform solution
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American Fidelity Assurance Company does not provide tax or legal advice.
ESB-917(0111)