ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
In a recent survey, more than half of those polled said it's easier to read Shakespeare than their health benefits book. Since the Bard didn't wax poetic about open enrollment, we went to the woman who did. Tracey Baker co-authored "Navigating Your Health Benefits For Dummies."So how can you avoid costly mistakes? Let us count the ways.
Baker's tips:
Spending time researching your options really can mean money in the bank.
Review last year's health spending. What you spent last year gives you a starting point. Then look at any life changes, such as a wedding or the birth of a child, that could alter your elections.
Examine your budget. What can you afford and how much risk are you willing to take? Asking questions can help you decide where you fall.
What about the new healthcare laws that have taken effect, and how do they affect you? There are a few key changes.
Every policy will have to allow parents to keep young adults on their plan up to the age of 26.
The laws also end annual or lifetime limits on health benefits, and insurers can't drop you on technicalities.
It is a lot to examine, but informed choices now could save you big headaches later.
Under new plans preventive care must now be free, but for many people premiums will be going up a bit this year.
