Fall is open enrollment season for many health insurance plans. One option is to simply re-enroll in the same plan you chose for 2016. However, that can be a risky strategy: insurance plans can change their coverage terms from year to year; consumer health-care needs can change, too. Instead, careful consumers will match their needs for the next 12 months to a policy that will provide adequate coverage at the most affordable cost.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a FREE online workshop on Wednesday, November 30, from 6-8 PM. The Smart Choice Health Insurance Education program is research-based, non-political and non-commercial, and will equip consumers with tools they need to make the best possible decision when choosing health insurance plans for themselves and their families.

To register for this free online class register by noon on November 30 at http://tinyurl.com/pvmceb7. For more information, contact Barb Wollan, Human Sciences specialist in family finance, at 515-832-9597 or bwollan@iastate.edu.