Free Resource · Updated Annually · 2026 Edition
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2026 Open Enrollment Checklist for Employers
Everything your HR team needs to run a smooth open enrollment — 90-day timeline, 50+ checklist items, ready-to-send email templates, required notices, and renewal strategy tips.
- 90-Day Timeline
- 50+ Checklist Items
- 4 Email Templates
- Required Notices
- Renewal Strategy Tips
FREE PDF DOWNLOADS:
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2026 Open Enrollment
Checklist — PDF
6-page PDF. Print it, share it, use it every year. Updated for 2026 ACA thresholds and notice requirements.
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What's Inside
6-Page PDF + Online Tools
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90
Day Timeline
A milestone-by-milestone calendar working backward from your plan effective date. Know exactly what to do and when — from pulling claims data to submitting final elections to carriers.
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50+
Checklist Items
Five phases: Renewal Strategy, Plan Documents & Compliance, Employee Communications, ACA Compliance, and Post-Enrollment. Every task your HR team needs to cover.
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4
Email Templates
Copy-and-send email templates for every stage: launch announcement, mid-enrollment reminder, final deadline, and post-enrollment confirmation. Just fill in the brackets.
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17
Required Notices
A complete table of federally required annual notices — SBC, CHIP, Medicare Part D, COBRA, HIPAA, Women's Health Act, and more — with timing, recipients, and penalty exposure.
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8
Renewal Strategy Tips
Proven strategies for controlling healthcare costs at renewal: going to market, evaluating level-funded plans, reading your claims data, and structuring your contribution strategy.
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∞
Updated Every Year
This page updates every fall with new ACA thresholds, notice requirement changes, and updated compliance dates. Bookmark it and come back for 2027, 2028, and beyond.
90-Day Open Enrollment Timeline
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Open Enrollment Checklist
Print & Check Off As You Go
📈 Phase 1: Renewal Strategy
- Pull claims data and utilization report
- Benchmark current plan vs. market
- Go to market — get quotes from 30+ carriers
- Evaluate level-funded vs. fully-insured
- Confirm ACA affordability threshold (9.02% FPL, 2026)
- Finalize employer contribution strategy
- Review voluntary benefits offerings
- Confirm HSA/FSA/HRA contribution limits
📄 Phase 2: Plan Documents & Compliance
- Update Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)
- Confirm Summary Plan Description (SPD) is current
- Review ERISA wrap document
- Distribute all required annual notices
- Confirm 5500 filing requirements (100+ participants)
- Review COBRA notice procedures
- Check state mandate compliance (PA, NJ, DE, MD)
- Document dependent eligibility rules
📧 Phase 3: Employee Communications
- Build enrollment communication calendar
- Configure online enrollment portal
- Prepare benefits comparison guide
- Schedule employee benefit meetings / webinars
- Send launch email (45 days before deadline)
- Send mid-enrollment reminder (30 days out)
- Send final deadline reminder (14 days out)
- Send post-enrollment confirmation email
⚖️ Phase 4: ACA & Post-Enrollment
- Confirm ALE status (50+ FTEs)
- Document hours-of-service tracking method
- Confirm minimum value threshold met (60%)
- Prepare for 1094-C / 1095-C reporting
- Submit final enrollment to all carriers
- Confirm ID card delivery timeline
- Update payroll deductions for new plan year
- Set next renewal kickoff meeting (90 days out)
Ready-to-Send Email Templates
Required Annual Notices Checklist
| Notice | Timing | Who Receives | Penalty Risk | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) | Before enrollment / upon request | All eligible employees | Up to $1,362 per failure | ☐ |
| Summary of Material Modification (SMM) | Within 60 days of change | All plan participants | ERISA penalties | ☐ |
| CHIP Notice | Annually before enrollment | Employees in CHIP states | Loss of safe harbor | ☐ |
| HIPAA Special Enrollment Rights | Upon hire and annually | All eligible employees | ERISA/HIPAA penalties | ☐ |
| Women’s Health & Cancer Rights Act | Annually | All plan participants | ERISA penalties | ☐ |
| Medicare Part D Creditable Coverage | Before October 15 each year | Medicare-eligible participants | CMS penalties | ☐ |
| COBRA General Rights Notice | Within 90 days of enrollment | New enrollees & dependents | Up to $110/day | ☐ |
| COBRA Election Notice | Within 44 days of qualifying event | Qualified beneficiaries | Up to $110/day | ☐ |
| HIPAA Privacy Notice | At enrollment; every 3 years | Plan participants | Tiered civil penalties | ☐ |
| ACA Exchange / Marketplace Notice | Within 14 days of hire | All new employees | No federal penalty* | ☐ |
| ERISA Summary Plan Description (SPD) | Within 90 days of enrollment | All participants | Up to $110/day | ☐ |
| Form 5500 Annual Report | By July 31 (100+ participants) | Filed with DOL | Up to $250/day | ☐ |
| Mental Health Parity Disclosure | Upon request | Plan participants | Tiered penalties | ☐ |
* Penalties may apply under state law. This table is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Consult your ERISA counsel for plan-specific requirements.
Renewal Strategy Tips
From JS Benefits Group
01
Start 90 Days Early — Not 30
Most employers begin renewal conversations 30 days out. That’s too late. Starting 90 days out gives you time to go to market, evaluate alternatives, and negotiate from strength.
02
Always Go to Market
Even if you’re happy with your current carrier, getting competing quotes from 30+ carriers gives you leverage at the negotiating table — and sometimes surfaces a materially better deal.
03
Evaluate Level-Funded Plans
Level-funded plans are the fastest-growing plan type for employers with 10‚200 employees: predictable costs, claims data access, potential surplus refunds, often 10–20% cheaper than fully-insured.
04
Pull Your Claims Data
Ask your broker to get a claims utilization report. High-cost claimants and chronic conditions drive your renewal rate. Knowing what’s driving costs lets you address it proactively.
05
Review Your Contribution Strategy
Your employer contribution tiers significantly impact both your cost and employee satisfaction. A benchmark analysis tells you where you stand vs. competitors in your industry and region.
06
Add Voluntary Benefits
Voluntary dental, vision, disability, and life plans can be offered at no employer cost while giving employees meaningful options — reducing pressure to include these in the base medical plan.
07
Implement a Wellness Program
Employer wellness programs — screenings, health risk assessments, chronic disease management — have documented ROI of $1.50–$3.00 per $1 invested through reduced claims over time.
08
Partner With a Broker Who Works For You
Your broker should proactively bring you alternatives — not just renew your current plan. If they’re not showing you level-funded options and competing quotes, they may not be working hard enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Open Enrollment Answers
Employers should start 90 days before their plan effective date — not 30. Starting early gives you time to go to market, evaluate alternatives like level-funded plans, and negotiate from strength. Most employers who start 30 days out have no real choice but to accept what their current carrier offers.
The ACA affordability threshold for 2026 under the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) safe harbor is 9.02%. This means the employee-only premium for your lowest-cost, minimum-value plan cannot exceed 9.02% of the federal poverty line for a single individual. For 2026 this works out to approximately $113.20/month. Employers who exceed this threshold may face Section 4980H(b) penalties if any employee receives a premium tax credit on the Exchange.
A level-funded plan is a type of employer-sponsored health plan with predictable monthly costs, access to your own claims data, and the possibility of receiving a surplus refund at year-end if claims come in below projections. For many employers with 10‚200 employees, level-funded plans now represent a 10–20% savings vs. fully-insured options. JS Benefits Group can run a side-by-side comparison for your group at no cost.
Most benefits professionals recommend a minimum 2–3 week open enrollment window. Shorter windows increase the risk of employees missing the deadline or making uninformed decisions. For larger employers or those making significant plan changes, 4 weeks is ideal. The window should be long enough to allow for employee questions, benefit meetings, and any technical issues with your enrollment portal.
Federal law requires employers to distribute several notices including the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC), CHIP notice (for applicable states), Medicare Part D creditable coverage notice (before October 15), Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act notice, HIPAA Special Enrollment Rights notice, and others. Timing and requirements vary by plan type and employer size. See the full Required Notices table above.
If an employee misses open enrollment, they generally cannot make changes to their benefits until the next annual enrollment period — unless they experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) such as marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, or loss of other coverage. Employers should document their QLE policy clearly and ensure HR is prepared to process mid-year changes within the required 30-day window when a QLE occurs.
Yes. JS Benefits Group provides full open enrollment support to our employer clients — including portal configuration in Employee Navigator, employee communication materials, benefit comparison guides, live employee meetings and webinars, carrier submission, and post-enrollment confirmation. We act as an extension of your HR team throughout the process. Contact us for a free consultation.
From the Desk of Jennifer Schaefer
Not Sure If You’re Getting the Best Deal at Renewal?
Most employers don’t know what they don’t know at renewal time. If your broker isn’t showing you level-funded alternatives, competing quotes, and your actual claims data — you may be overpaying and not know it. JS Benefits Group offers a free, no-obligation benefits analysis for any employer in PA, NJ, DE, MD, or NY.
We’ll review your current plan, benchmark your costs against the market, and show you what alternatives exist — in one conversation, at no cost.
