When should I configure new carrier integrations relative to Open Enrollment?

Best practice is to configure and turn on new carrier integrations after Open Enrollment has closed for the employer group.

Why Wait Until After Open Enrollment?

Configuring integrations after Open Enrollment closes helps minimize the number of error messages you'll receive when the integration becomes Active. Here's why:

Enrollment Data Stability During Open Enrollment, employees are actively making enrollment changes, adding or removing dependents, changing coverage levels, and updating their benefits selections. This creates a period of flux where data is constantly changing.

Reduces Discrepancy Messages If you activate an integration while Open Enrollment is still in progress, you're likely to receive numerous Failure and Warning messages related to:

• Employees who haven't completed their enrollment yet
• Pending dependent additions or terminations
• Coverage changes still being processed
• Incomplete enrollment forms

Cleaner Implementation Once Open Enrollment closes and all enrollment decisions are finalized, the data in BerniePortal becomes stable and matches what should be communicated to the carrier. This creates a cleaner starting point for the integration.

The Implementation Timeline

Here's the recommended sequence:

1. During Open Enrollment: Continue using your current manual process to communicate with carriers
2. After Open Enrollment Closes: Verify that all enrollment data in BerniePortal is accurate and complete
3. Configure the Integration: Turn on the carrier integration with confidence that the data is stable
4. Monitor Pending Status: Track the integration as it moves toward Active status

Exception Scenarios

There may be situations where configuring during or before Open Enrollment makes sense:

• You're setting up integrations for a new employer who isn't currently in Open Enrollment
• Mid-year implementation where the next Open Enrollment is months away
• The employer has minimal enrollment activity expected

In these cases, weigh the potential for increased error messages against the benefit of starting the integration sooner.

Additional Preparation

Regardless of when you configure, always ensure you've completed the recommended data accuracy checks before activation:

• Verify Social Security Numbers are correct
• Confirm employee and dependent names match carrier records
• Ensure current enrollment data aligns between BerniePortal and the carrier

This timing recommendation helps ensure the best onboarding experience with the Carrier Exchange and reduces administrative burden during the critical post-enrollment period.