Open Enrollment Period for Individual and Family Health Plans
The Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for individual
and family health plans begins October 1 and runs through October 31 of each year.
Change forms related to OEP must be received (not just postmarked) by Arkansas Blue
Cross no later than Oct. 31. Changes to existing policies will be effective
Jan. 1 or 15, depending on the policy billing cycle.
Make Changes to Individual and Family Policies
During this OEP, members may:
Request changes to their policy, such as:
- Adding or deleting dependents
- Increasing or decreasing deductible
- Adding or deleting maternity
- Requesting removal of surcharges or exclusions
An Underwriting Change Form (PDF) is required if you are:
- Adding a dependent to your policy
- Dependents age 18 or younger cannot be declined coverage but will be medically
underwritten and may be surcharged based on medical conditions.
- Dependents age 19 or older will be medically underwritten and may be surcharged
or denied coverage based on medical conditions.
- Increasing your policy benefits by:
- Lowering the deductible.
- Raising the coinsurance percentage.
- Lowering the calendar-year coinsurance maximum.
- Adding the maternity rider.
- Requesting that a surcharge or exclusion be removed.
A Non-Underwriting Change Form (PDF) is required if you are:
- Deleting a dependent from your policy
- Decreasing your policy benefits by:
- Raising the deductible.
- Lowering the coinsurance percentage.
- Raising the calendar-year coinsurance maximum.
- Deleting the maternity rider.
You may print out a change form and submit or contact your agent:
Qualifying Life Events
Changes may be made to existing individual policies at any time during the year
as a result of a Qualifying Life Event (PDF) change.
Examples of "qualifying life events" are:
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Death
- Birth of a child
- Loss of other health insurance coverage.
View the Qualifying Life Events Grid (PDF) for a complete list of changes, notification periods and documentation requirements. For additional information, call Customer Service at 1-800-238-8379.