As health care continues to grow increasingly complex, therepercussions can be especially apparent during open enrollment season. Whether organizationsare changing their plans, adding new offerings or switching theirapproach, open enrollment can often best be described as controlledchaos for those leading the charge.

With this year's open enrollment just around the corner for mostorganizations, now is the time to think ahead. Brokers andconsultants can play an integral role in reducing the burden fortheir clients by helping them stay abreast of both ongoing andemerging trends and issues facing HR professionals . Here are ninetrends and common issues to be aware of:

1. HDHPs – The continued adoption ofhigh-deductible and other consumer-driven health plans are drivingemployees to look for options that make the most of their healthcare dollars. Helping employees understand their options and howtheir choice may impact costs can help avoid issues later on.
2. Plan changes – Between policy updates, mergersand cost shifts, the plans available to employees frequentlychange. This can adjust their level of coverage, premiums andcost-sharing responsibility, and provider network, making itcritical that they have resources to help determine the best fitfor their needs.
3. Prescription coverage changes – As part ofother plan modifications or new offerings, yearly changes toprescription coverage can also have a big impact on employees(especially those on long-term medication for chronic conditions,etc.), so it's even more important to communicate these changeseffectively to avoid issues down the road.
4. Diverse workforce – Employees represent a spanof generations, lifestyles and backgrounds, so one size plan doesnot fit all. It's important that open enrollment options providefor this variety of needs.
5. Digital options – From online platforms thathelp employees select plans to plan offerings like telemedicine, digital technology is playing agrowing role in open enrollment as well as benefits ingeneral.
6. Multi-channel outreach – In addition toutilizing technology, many employers are looking to diversify theirbenefits communication in order to reach more employees in the waysthey seek information. This can include mailers, posters, emails,small meetings, and much more.
7. Concierge services – Due to the increasingconfusion of open enrollment, more and more organizations areoffering resources and services to help employees navigate the complexities.This can help reduce the burden on HR as well as ensure employeesmake more informed decisions.
8. Add-ons – Many employees havea wide variety of additional options to consider adding during openenrollment, which may lead to confusion about what is best for eachindividual and their family. Effectively explaining these options,their costs and their benefits can make a big difference.
9. Overworked HR team – As benefits continue getmore complex, HR teams field an increasing number of questions andconcerns from employees, especially during open enrollment.

Addressing some of these key challenges or issues in advance canhelp make this year's open enrollment process smooth andsuccessful. Open enrollment may be challenging, but workingtogether with clients to plan ahead can enable organizations toovercome issues, leading to a more effective benefits yearahead.