As the employer, what should you do with late health insurance applications? 

Open enrollment for the 2024 plan year ended on Friday, October 20, 2023. Any applications your employees submit to you after that date are considered late. How you process these late applications depends on why the application was late. Note: You can continue keying health insurance applications received during open enrollment until November 10.

Additionally, you can enter applications received after October 20 if: 

  • The employee provides you with a written (email is acceptable) explanation for their late submission, and
  • You forward the letter and health insurance application to ETF.

After November 10, you can no longer key health insurance applications. Any applications submitted after November 10 require that you send the application, along with the employee’s written (email is acceptable) explanation for their late submission, to ETF.

ETF will then accept or reject the application, enter the application, and notify you.

If employees submit late applications after January 1, 2024, you must follow all the previous requirements for late submissions, and send ETF a written (email is acceptable) explanation that:

  • Outlines how you distribute open enrollment materials, and
  • Includes your recommendation for approval or disapproval of the member’s late health insurance application.

Other considerations to note for late submissions:

  • All accepted applications submitted before January 1 will have an effective date of January 1, 2024.
  • Any accepted applications submitted from February 1, 2024 to April 15, 2024 will have an effective date on the first of the month of the receipt date. (For example, an application submitted on March 24 would be effective as of March 1, if approved.) 

Employers should use Box for secure online submission or fax (608-267-4549) to submit materials to ETF. Do not use email to protect personal health information and personal identifiable information.

For more information about open enrollment, see the health insurance manuals:

  • State Agency Health Insurance Standards, Guidelines and Administration Employer Manual (ET-1118), Chapter 6
  • Local Employer Health Insurance Standards, Guidelines and Administration Manual (ET-1144), Chapter 7 

Date Requirements for Accepting Health Insurance Applications

  9/25/2023 – 
10/20/2023		 10/21/2023 – 
11/10/2023		 11/11/2023 – 
12/31/2023		 1/1/2024 – 
1/31/2024		 2/1/2024 – 
4/15/2024
Can Employers Key Applications? Yes Yes No No No
Employee letter of explanation required for late applications? No Yes Yes Yes Yes
ETF approval needed for late applications? No No Yes Yes Yes
Employer explanation of how they distribute materials required for late applications? No No No Yes Yes
Effective Date of Health Insurance After Application Accepted 1/1/2024 1/1/2024 1/1/2024 1/1/2024 First of the month on or following the date the application was received.