Health Insurance Enrollment

Many of you who are employed with an employer that still offers health insurance coverage as part of the hiring practice have received the new enrollment forms. You had many questions before filling out the application form. Were you confused by the way, the enrollment was presented? The cost of your annual health insurance policy was said to be reduced to offer you more health care coverage at an affordable average monthly cost for health insurance.

You were probably stunned to see an increase in your health insurance coverage. Unfortunately, the rising cost of the annual health insurance policy rose almost ten percent for the coming year and that was not what you were told. Employers are forced to increase the cost to employees to match the overall increase passed along by the health insurance carriers.

This is going to make it more difficult than it already is for many employees. Some employees were released from their commitments to their current employer. Other employees are now collecting unemployment while remaining employees are accepting pay decreases and benefit decreases. Now health insurance is at an all-time high and there is no way to avoid the situation unless you want to cancel the health insurance policy.

Larger corporations are opening wellness centers for employees to keep physically fit and reduce the number of days off due to illness. How many employees will partake in these wellness centers is yet to be realized. However, there are a few employers who are also planning to sanction employees for not participating in the healthcare wellness centers. Here are some of the health insurance issues facing employers and employees.

1. Higher health insurance premiums and co-payments

2. More high-deductible health insurance plans and health savings accounts

3. Incentives for primary health care and wellness program enrollment

4. Extra charges for brand-name prescription drugs over generic

Of course, the extra charges for brand-name prescription medication can only apply to those employers who offer a medical health care prescription medication program. Not all employees are privileged to have the option of a medical health care prescription medication program. Many employees forfeit medication by prescription when the cost is too high or they pay out of pocket.

Those who have already read the health insurance enrollment form find they can no longer afford a family health insurance plan because the co-payment to be deducted is too high. Others are upset at the rise in the annual deductible. A high deductible for many is the same as having no health insurance.