Open Enrollment Planner
Plan your enrollment priorities in a few questions. Your answers are not saved or sent. Educational guidance only.
Time until enrollment begins
How soon does your open enrollment window open?
Make the next step easy to find.
Employees open their SSGI One invitation, sign in and follow the enrollment steps for their employer. New hires, enrollment windows, life-event requests and waivers belong in the same experience.
Invite
Use the invitation or enrollment instructions provided for your employer to find your assigned steps in the benefits app.
Complete
Sign in to the benefits app, review the choices provided for your employer and complete the requested steps.
Follow through
Return to your benefits home to see the next step, or send your SSGI team a question from the app.
How this works and what you’ll receive
About this planning tool
A free, private, no-information-required educational planning tool for employers organizing employee communications and support around an upcoming open enrollment. Answer four fixed-choice questions and we'll produce a transparent, prioritized readiness plan — your planning priority, what to do before, during, and after enrollment, who normally acts on each step, and how to prepare securely for a conversation with your SSGI advisor.
This is an educational planning tool only. For guidance tailored to your circumstances, talk to an SSGI advisor.
How an open enrollment runs
Open enrollment isn't a single email — it's a five-phase cycle. Here's how the phases line up, from preparation through ongoing support. This model applies whether you're a small, growing team or a larger, multi-location employer.
Prepare
Confirm your window, plan(s), contributions, and roles. Set the operating model and draft your communication plan before anything goes out.
Announce
Send the initial announcement with clear dates, what's changing, and where to get help. Make sure managers are briefed first.
Educate
Offer plain-language education touchpoints — sessions, walkthroughs, Q&A — so employees understand their choices, not just the deadline.
Enroll
Open the window, track participation, and follow up with non-responders. Keep support routes staffed and visible throughout.
Support
After the window closes, confirm completion and billing, close the loop with employees, and review what to improve next cycle.
Who does what during open enrollment
Clear roles keep enrollment on track. Here's how the responsibilities typically divide — and where SSGI's role as an independent advisor begins and ends.
Connected work. Clear responsibilities.
Your team
Choose the benefits approach, communicate with employees and complete the required employer actions.
SSGI
Help organize the enrollment timeline, explain the process and coordinate questions with benefits partners.
Benefits partners
Process the applicable enrollment requirements and confirm coverage and effective dates.
An enrollment message starts the process. Coverage and completion depend on the applicable requirements and partner confirmation.
Employers / HR
Own the enrollment calendar, approve plan(s) and contributions, send employee communications, track participation, and follow up with non-responders.
SSGI (independent advisor)
Advises on plan design and contributions at a business level, reviews communication materials for clarity, and helps route enrollment questions. SSGI is an independent benefits agency and advisor; SSGI coordinates and advises, while carriers and vendors remain responsible for their own products, enrollment, and billing.
Carriers / vendors
Provide the plan(s), enrollment platform, billing, and member-level support. Carriers and vendors remain responsible for their own products, enrollment, and billing.
Employees
Review their options, ask questions, and make their own enrollment decisions by the deadline. Employers and SSGI can educate and support — employees decide.
Use SSGI One for your enrollment and service workspace. BenefitZone is only for clients who have not yet received access to the SSGI One.
Four messages you can adapt
Generic, truthful starters for the four moments that matter most during open enrollment. Each one is a starting point — review and customize every bracketed detail before sending. None contain invented deadlines or benefits, and none solicit sensitive information.
Initial announcement
Send when your enrollment window opens (or just before).
[Employer: review and customize before sending] Open enrollment for [year] is open from [start date] through [end date]. This is your annual opportunity to review your benefits and make changes for the year ahead. What you can do during open enrollment: - Review your current coverage and confirm it still fits your needs. - Make changes to your plan(s) or add/remove dependents. - Enroll in benefits you don't currently have. To get started, visit [enrollment portal link] and sign in with your credentials. If you have questions, you can: - Attend [info session details, if any]. - Contact [SSGI / carrier / HR support route] at [contact details]. Please complete your enrollment by [end date]. After the window closes, you generally cannot make changes until the next open enrollment or a qualifying life event. [Employer: confirm all bracketed details — dates, links, contacts, and session info — before sending. Do not include any individual employee, medical, or claims information in this message.]
Reminder
Send midway through the enrollment window.
[Employer: review and customize before sending] Reminder: open enrollment for [year] closes on [end date]. If you've already completed your enrollment, thank you — no further action is needed. If you haven't enrolled yet, this is a good time to: - Review your options at [enrollment portal link]. - Make any changes before the deadline. - Reach out with any questions. If you need help, contact [SSGI / carrier / HR support route] at [contact details]. Please complete your enrollment by [end date]. [Employer: confirm all bracketed details before sending. Do not include any individual employee, medical, or claims information in this message.]
Last call
Send 48–72 hours before the enrollment window closes.
[Employer: review and customize before sending] Final reminder: open enrollment for [year] closes on [end date]. After the window closes, you generally cannot make changes until the next open enrollment or a qualifying life event. If you haven't enrolled yet, please complete your enrollment at [enrollment portal link] before the deadline. If you need help right now, contact [SSGI / carrier / HR support route] at [contact details]. [Employer: confirm all bracketed details before sending. Do not include any individual employee, medical, or claims information in this message.]
Where to get help
Include in every message, or send as a standalone note.
[Employer: review and customize before sending] If you have questions during open enrollment, here's where to get help: - For plan questions and enrollment support: [carrier / vendor support route] at [contact details]. - For benefits strategy and general guidance: SSGI at hello@ssgibenefits.com or 800-440-1045 (by appointment). - For portal access or login issues: [enrollment portal support route] at [contact details]. - For HR-specific questions: [HR contact route] at [contact details]. Please do not include sensitive personal, medical, or claims information in email or chat. Use the secure portal or call a verified contact directly. [Employer: confirm all bracketed details before sending. SSGI is an independent benefits advisor. This public planner does not enroll anyone; use your assigned secure enrollment portal.]
These starters are templates only. Confirm all dates, links, contacts, and plan details before sending. Do not include any individual employee, medical, claims, Medicare, Social Security, payroll, or member-level information in email or chat.
Educational planning tool; verify decisions against current plan documents and guidance from the appropriate advisers. This planner does not store anything you select.
Your next step with SSGI
Put your enrollment plan into practice.
Bring your timing, communication priorities and questions to an employer benefits review.
Request an employer benefits review