Open enrollment is a period where a company's existing health care plan is open to new employees and employees already on the plan can make decisions about there coverage. Employees and business owners alike can benefit from a regular review of health care options. It is prudent to review the options because one's health care needs change and because you will have the benefit of reviewing the previous year and how the existing health care plan was used.

eHealthInsurance.com, a subsidiary of eHealth, Inc., has been in the business of helping businesses and individuals find affordable insurance since 1997. The company is licensed to sell insurance in all fifty states. Wendy Nice Barnes, Vice President of Human Resources from eHealth, offers the following tips for open enrollment:

• "Look at the premium for your current employer-sponsored plan and see if that premium is increasing. If saving on your monthly share of the premium is a priority, you may want to revisit this plan and opt for one of the less expensive plans available from your company’s benefits provider."
• "Buy only what you need and potentially save on the monthly premium. Choosing a high deductible plan is smart for some individuals and families because it typically reduces monthly premiums, but you must be prepared to pay the amount of the deductible in the coming year as health care needs arise."
• Check your spouse’s plan to see if the employee share of the premium is more or less than your plan. It may be more cost-effective to insure you or your family under their plan."

• "If you think losing your job is a possibility in the next year, start reviewing your employer health care plans now. During open enrollment, you may be able to choose a plan that would cost less if you were later required to pay all of the premium through COBRA."
• "Always make sure that the plan you choose will cover the health care benefits you need for the coming year."
• "Mix and match: Depending on health conditions, sometimes it is less expensive for certain family members to be on a separate plan than the employer-sponsored plan. Do the math on separate policies if there are special needs. It's easy to price individual and family plans online."