I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Aflac. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating. 
This time of year strikes fear and dread deep into my soul. No, not Halloween?this is much scarier. It?s time for health insurance open enrollment.
I feel like every year I find myself surrounded by all sorts of paperwork with my seemingly unlimited options. To me, making these insurance decisions is scarier than going through a haunted house. Make the wrong decision and you and your family could be paying hundreds of dollars in unnecessary out-of-pocket medical expenses.
And it turns out I?m not alone in my dread?a recent survey by Aflac, the nation?s number one insurance provider, found that 74 percent of workers sometimes or never understand everything that is covered by their insurance policy. And the health care reform changes don?t make it any easier to wade through the updates?nearly one third of employees in the survey said they are confused or worried about the changes to their coverage due to health care reform.
?So how can we turn open enrollment from a trick to a treat? Here are a few steps from Aflac:
- ?Carefully examine premium costs?sometimes the plans with the cheapest monthly premiums will cost you more in co-insurance and mean you get less coverage.
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Compare your new benefits to your policy from last year and look closely at any changes. Make sure everything fits in your budget.
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Don?t assume anything?ask your (or your spouse?s) employer or insurance company any questions. Its better to be 100% sure now than to get sneak attacked with fees later.
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Health care reform requires insurance companies to beef up their coverage?you might be covered for more than you thought. Make sure before you look into doubling up your dental or vision coverage.
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For more information and important steps to take, visit Aflac?s straightforward Open Enrollment Guide.
I know what steps I?ll be taking when I make my insurance decisions this year. By taking the time to ask questions of your employer and insurance provider, you can be on the path to a happy open enrollment.
