Explaining Changes in Health Insurance Plans Within Your Organization

Once you’ve decided on a new health plan, it’s important that everyone in your organization understands this change, including how to take full advantage of better care and lower costs. Here’s how to get them on board.

Explaining Your Health Insurance Plans to Prospective Employees

When presenting new health insurance plans to a prospective employee, it’s important to showcase plan strengths:

Make sure you understand your company’s health benefit plans and their strengths.
Reach out to prospective employees to understand their health insurance needs as well as any benefit preferences they may have, such as a low deductible or a health spending account.
Prepare a benefits grid to make it easy to walk through the plans offered by your company. Be sure to highlight savings or wellness programs and to discuss integrated benefits (such as dental, vision, or pharmacy).

Helping Current Employees Understand Your New Health Insurance Plan

When explaining new health benefits to current employees, communication and education are essential. To help with onboarding, your broker, the Highmark New to Blue team, or our Client Services sales teams may be available to:

Aid in Open Enrollment
Host 1-on-1 or group benefits meetings with your employees to discuss changes and updates
Set up benefit fairs
Outline wellness offerings
Explain discounts and value-added coverage
Help your employees transition care from out-of-network to in-network providers

Convincing Executives and Stakeholders of the Need for Updated Health Benefits

If you’re an HR professional or benefit administrator, it can be difficult to move your organization towards a new health plan – even if it’s much-needed. Plan to start the process at least 6 months to a year before switching to a new or updated health insurance plan.

Here are a few tips to help you secure buy-in from the top:

Present reasons and resources for executives to understand why change is necessary and good for business – that the insurer offers solutions to the challenges your organization is facing.
Make a list or grid that clearly summarizes all new benefits and the associated costs.
Highlight cost, quality, and productivity arguments – showing how new health benefits will fit your organization’s budget, meet employee needs, and provide a good ROI.
Explain how a high-value employee benefits packages will help improve your competitive advantage for prospective employees and decrease turnover.
Consider whether offering benefits may help the company qualify for tax credits or tax breaks. Consult with your company’s tax advisor.
Explain how provider access may change and why a new high-value provider network makes sense for your organization.
Demonstrate that the insurer can offer more than just transactional support. Other services may include help with employee enrollment, benefit administration, ongoing employee education, employer resources, legislative changes, and more.

Contact Us

A Highmark representative can give you expert advice on health plan options for your organization. Contact us today!

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