There's
a desire for greater personalization, with 86% of members wanting their plan to
personalize communication, care and services.
Jeff Lagasse, Associate Editor
Medicare Advantage
members are accustomed to change, at least according to new numbers provided by
a new Icario survey. Conducted online by the Harris Poll among more than 1,200
Medicare subscribers, of whom 535 are Medicare Advantage subscribers, the poll
revealed that 40% of Medicare Advantage subscribers made changes to their plans
for 2021 and 25% say they stayed in a Medicare Advantage plan but changed
health plan providers.
Icario is a health action
company that uses technology, data science and behavioral insights to improve
health outcomes.
The survey showed high
levels of member satisfaction and an interest in personalization. Largely, MA
subscribers seem to be mostly satisfied with their plans, based on the 87% who
feel their plan currently meets their healthcare needs and the 83% who clearly
understand their benefits with their current plan.
But there's a desire for
greater personalization around care, with 86% of MA subscribers wanting their
plan to personalize communication, care and services to meet all of their
health needs.
In addition to the
importance of patient experience and satisfaction on retention, the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services has strengthened the weighting of satisfaction
in the calculation of Medicare Advantage Star Ratings, a critical component in
plan selection and financial performance.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT
The challenge now for MA
plans is to raise the bar in terms of personalization and communication, a
challenging task given healthcare's complexity. When regulatory and compliance
requirements are factored in, communicating in a personalized way can be a difficult
undertaking. According to Icario CEO Steve Wigginton, though, the effort is
worth it: It has a positive impact on plan quality, satisfaction and health
outcomes.
The survey also
identified the potential to improve membership satisfaction with the incorporation
of rewards and incentives as part of a health action strategy, with 75% of MA
subscribers saying they would feel more positive about their Medicare plan if
it offered them rewards and incentives for certain activities or behaviors,
such as recommended cancer screenings, wellness visits or quitting smoking.
Maintaining high levels
of satisfaction and member experiences is seen as a way to help health plans
prevent member losses and improve profitability. That requires a comprehensive
view of the member and their satisfaction.
THE LARGER TREND
Preliminary data at the
end of Medicare open enrollment showed more consumers chose MA plans for 2021
due to their supplemental benefits, including telehealth and COVID-19
supplemental benefits.
A December 2020 study
showed that, among those who decided on an MA plan because of supplemental
benefits, 35% cited COVID-19 supplemental benefits specifically, while 27%
cited telehealth benefits, the report said. Thirty-five percent are enrolled in
an MA plan for 2021 because they've had it before and prefer it; 29% like the
prescription drug coverage; 16% like the affordability; and 9% like the
supplemental benefits
Earlier this month,
CMS issued a final rule that
will require Part D plans to offer a real-time benefit-comparison tool starting
January 1, 2023. CMS said the rule is meant to strengthen and modernize the
Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug programs so enrollees can
obtain information about lower-cost alternative therapies under their
prescription drug benefit plan. The agency said it expects the changes will
result in an estimated $75.4 million in savings to the federal government over
10 years.
Despite the popularity of
MA plans, North Shore Insurance Brokers managing partner Ina Goldberg takes issue with
the plans, saying that as people age, more serious health problems begin and MA
members start paying more out-of-pocket, which will often add up to more than
all of those monthly supplemental payments they would have made for original
Medicare.
Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com
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