Small-Business Health Plan Renewal Checklist for Katy Employers
Renewal is the one moment each year when changing your group's coverage is straightforward. Starting 60 to 90 days out gives time to compare carriers, survey employees and handle enrollment without a gap.
Help by phone or video. Please do not send medical records, Medicare numbers or employee health information through website forms.
Sixty to ninety days before renewal
Request your renewal rates and your group's claims or utilization summary if available. Confirm your eligible-employee count and participation percentage — carrier rules on both affect which plans you can offer. This is also the time to ask employees anonymously what they actually use and value.
- Renewal rate in hand, compared against current-year cost
- Eligible-employee count and participation percentage confirmed
- Employee feedback on networks, copays and prescriptions gathered
What to compare across carriers
Look at more than the premium change: deductibles, office and specialist copays, prescription tiers, the out-of-pocket maximum, and whether your employees' doctors and Katy-area hospitals are in each network. A plan that costs less but drops a key hospital can cost you goodwill and employees.
Thirty days before the effective date
Finalize the employer contribution, distribute employee materials and required notices, and run open enrollment with firm deadlines. Confirm the carrier has every enrollment form before the effective date — late forms are the most common cause of coverage gaps at renewal.
Common questions
Can we change carriers at renewal?
Yes — renewal is the natural time to move. Allow several weeks for quoting, underwriting and enrollment so the new coverage starts without a gap.
Our renewal increase is large. What are the options?
Common levers include changing carriers, adjusting the plan design (deductible, copays, network type), changing the employer contribution strategy, or evaluating an ICHRA reimbursement arrangement. Each has trade-offs worth reviewing by phone.
Do we have to offer the same plan to all employees?
Generally you offer the same options to all eligible employees in a class, though carriers allow defined employee classes and some allow dual-option plans. Contribution rules apply — confirm with the carrier.
Talk it through with a Texas agent
A short call can narrow the realistic options for your situation. We discuss plans we represent, not every plan on the market.
Related Katy guides
Disclaimer
TXInsurance.com is not HealthCare.gov, Medicare.gov or any government agency. Licensed in select but not all states. We do not offer every plan available in Katy. Eligibility, benefits, networks and pricing must be confirmed in the official carrier quote and policy documents.