Change in Plan Design outside of Annual Enrollment

[Guest Cindy C]

We went through Annual Enrollment in November, with a January 1, 2009 effective date. Now we have exec mgmt wanting us to increase the deductible amounts across the board for all plans. They want this effective for March 1.

My question is this -- are we required to have a special enrollment, allowing everybody the ability to enroll, change, waive? Or do we just allow those that are currently enrolled to make changes? Or do we only allow those that are currently enrolled to cancel?

Management only wants to allow those that are currently enrolled in a medical plan the option to cancel. I think we have to allow everybody the ability to change. Thoughts?