Good advice for open enrollment and choosing a health plan at work

Also, New York Times' writer Walecia Konrad has good advice for the millions of workers about to hit "open enrollment" season for their health insurance coverage: Open the envelope and actually read the stuff.

Writes Konrad:

Doing nothing is no longer an option. Many companies insist you fill out open-enrollment forms even if you intend to stay with the same benefits package. What’s more, with so many changes and cost increases on the horizon, you owe it to yourself and your family to take a close look at your options.

 Konrad's NYT colleague Lesley Alderman has a more in-depth story designed to guide you through "the annual task of choosing an insurance plan." Expect to pay more, Alderman writes, for fewer choices, higher deductibles, more questions and a system that steers you toward generic drugs and wellness.