Health Insurance Open Enrollment Tips(advantage of the tools offered to you. F...),Health

example, your company may offer benefit plan meetings where you can ask

questions and compare plan options. A little time invested in this

meeting can pay help you choose the best plan for your family's needs.

2. Examine your family's past health care spending. The best way to

determine a good plan fit for 2009 is to understand what health care

services your family used this year.

3. Before continuing on your current plan, read the detail. Many employees

will carry over their plan choice from year to year without examining

the details - have the co-pays and deductibles increased? Often

employers will change these levels as a result of the increasing cost

of health care services. It pays to read the detail.

4. Verify in advance that your physician and hospital are part of the

network for the plan you are choosing. This is especially important if

you are switching your insurance company or and you are switching to a

different health plan.

5. Take advantage of your health care flexible spending account, if

appropriate. Health care flexible spending accounts use pre-tax dollars

to help pay health care expenses like co-pays and deductibles but you

must carefully estimate and use all the money in these accounts during

the course of the year.

"In the past, you may have quickly looked over your benefit statement and chosen the same plan for next year or not done anything and defaulted into your previous year's selection," said Corcoran. "But this year, with all the economic pressures consumers are facing, it makes sense to really study your plan options to best meet your family's needs."

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc., and an independent licens
'/>"/>