6 Open Enrollment Questions Clinicians Miss Every Year

Open enrollment lands in your inbox every fall like clockwork. You have maybe three weeks to review your health insurance, retirement contributions, and a dozen other benefits elections before the window slams shut for another year.

And if you are like most clinicians, you will skim the highlights, keep what you had last year, and move on. The shift schedule does not pause for paperwork.

But buried in that fine print are a handful of questions that almost everyone misses — and the answers can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Let us walk through the six benefits questions that deserve a second look before you hit ‘confirm’ on your open enrollment 2026 elections.

1. Does Your HSA Contribution Max Out Before Year-End?

Health Savings Accounts are one of the best tax shelters available to healthcare workers. For 2026, the IRS caps individual contributions at $4,300 and family contributions at $8,550. If you are 55 or older, you can add another $1,000 catch-up contribution.

Here is the question most people skip: does your payroll deduction actually hit that cap, or will you leave money on the table?

Run the math. If you elected $150 per paycheck and you are paid biweekly, you will contribute $3,900 over the year — leaving $400 in unused contribution space. That is $400 you could have sheltered from federal income tax, FICA, and in most states, state income tax too.

Log into your benefits portal right now and check your annual HSA election. If it falls short of the cap and you can afford to bump it up, do it. You can adjust mid-year in some plans, but open enrollment is your guaranteed window.

2. What Happens to Your FSA Balance on December 31?

Flexible Spending Accounts are use-it-or-lose-it by default. The IRS allows employers to offer either a $640 rollover into the next year or a 2.5-month grace period — but not both, and not every employer offers either option.

Before you elect a Healthcare FSA or Dependent Care FSA for 2026, find out what your plan does with unused funds. If your employer offers no rollover and no grace period, every dollar left in your account on December 31 vanishes.

That makes your election amount critical. Look at your actual spending over the past year:

• Prescription copays and refills
• Dental cleanings, fillings, and orthodontia
• Vision exams and contact lenses
• Over-the-counter medications (now FSA-eligible without a prescription)
• Daycare or after-school program costs if you have a Dependent Care FSA

If you consistently underspend, dial back your election. If you are racing to spend down your balance every December, you have room to contribute more. The tax savings are real, but only if you actually use the money.

3. Are You Enrolled in Short-Term Disability — and Does It Cover Pregnancy?

Short-term disability insurance replaces a portion of your income if you cannot work due to illness or injury. Many clinicians skip it during open enrollment because they are young and healthy.

But here is the catch: if you add short-term disability coverage after you are already pregnant, most policies will not cover your maternity leave. Pregnancy is treated as a pre-existing condition under most STD plans, and benefits kick in only if you enrolled before conception.

If there is any chance you might start or grow your family in the next year or two, elect short-term disability now. Waiting until you have news to share is too late. The same logic applies if you are planning any elective surgery that could sideline you for weeks — coverage must be in place beforehand.

4. Did Your In-Network Provider List Change?

Health plans renegotiate contracts with hospitals, clinics, and specialist groups every year. A physician or facility that was in-network last year can drop out of your plan’s network for 2026 — and your benefits summary might not call it out explicitly.

Before you confirm your health plan election, do this:

• Log into your insurer’s provider search tool
• Look up your primary care physician, specialists, and preferred hospital
• Confirm they are still in-network for the plan you are choosing
• If you take ongoing prescriptions, verify your pharmacy is still in the network

Switching to an out-of-network provider mid-year because you did not check during open enrollment can double your out-of-pocket costs. Five minutes of verification now saves you from surprise bills in February.

5. Are You Maximizing Your Employer Match on Retirement Contributions?

Most healthcare employers offer some kind of 401(k) or 403(b) match — often 3% to 6% of your salary if you contribute a certain percentage yourself. That match is free money, but only if you contribute enough to claim it.

Pull up your retirement account summary and compare your current contribution rate to your employer’s match formula. If your employer matches 100% of the first 4% you contribute and you are only putting in 3%, you are leaving money on the table every single paycheck.

Even a 1% increase in your contribution can unlock thousands of dollars in employer match over the course of a year. Open enrollment is your chance to adjust that rate without waiting for your next performance review cycle.

6. What Is Your Plan’s Out-of-Pocket Maximum — and Could You Actually Afford It?

Every health insurance plan has an out-of-pocket maximum: the most you will pay in a year for covered services before the insurance company pays 100%. For 2026, ACA-compliant plans cap this at $9,200 for individuals and $18,400 for families, but your employer plan might set a lower limit.

Here is the uncomfortable question: if you hit that maximum, could you pay it?

A high-deductible health plan with a low monthly premium might look appealing on paper, but if a single ER visit or unexpected surgery would blow through your emergency fund, you might need a plan with a higher premium and lower out-of-pocket exposure.

Compare the annual premium difference between your lowest-cost plan and a mid-tier plan. Then compare the out-of-pocket maximums. If the mid-tier plan costs you $600 more per year in premiums but reduces your maximum exposure by $3,000, that is a trade worth considering — especially if you have a chronic condition or a family history that makes high healthcare costs likely.

Lock in Your Choices Before the Deadline

Open enrollment moves fast. Most healthcare employers give you two to three weeks to review and confirm your benefits elections for the entire year ahead. Miss the deadline, and you are stuck with whatever you had in 2025 — or worse, you are automatically enrolled in the default plan, which is rarely the best fit.

Set aside 30 minutes this week to work through these six questions. Pull up last year’s benefits summary, log into your accounts, and run the numbers. The details matter, and the fine print is where clinicians leave the most money on the table.

If you have questions about how your benefits package stacks up — or if you are exploring new opportunities with stronger benefits options — reach out to our team at contact@intuites.healthcare and let us know what you are looking for.