Blog Post

Medicare member loyalty declines as cost-sharing and drug costs continue to rise.
by administrator

  

Consumer loyalty to Medicare Advantage, MedSupp, and Prescription Drug Plans is at a 10-year low, according to Deft Research’s recently published 2015 Medicare Member Experience and Engage-ability Study.

Health plans have worked to keep premiums low, however, in doing so, have shifted more costs onto consumers through the use of higher maximum out-of-pocket limits and larger copays. This increase in the consumers’ share of health care costs has led to elevated levels of consumer angst.

On the other hand, the Medicare Member Experience and Engage-ability Study found that some health plans have been able to deliver surprisingly strong loyalty scores through enhancements to other elements of the member experience. By assessing the various touch-points health plans have with their members, Deft was able to identify factors that are most influential in satisfying and retaining members. 

"With such lower loyalty metrics across the board for Medicare carriers, it will be interesting to see how nuances in plan designs this fall impact consumers," said George Dippel, Senior Vice President of Client Service for Deft Research. "Last year, changes in generic and brand drug copays led the consumer to revolt."

As medical costs continue to rise, achieving satisfaction among Medicare members will become more challenging than everHealth insurance companies that listen to their members and make changes based on that feedback will be better positioned to satisfy and retain their members in the future.


About the Study
The Medicare Member Experience and Engage-ability Study measures loyalty among members of Medicare plans. By examining consumers' experience with their plan, Deft is able to identify which factors are the most influential in satisfying and retaining members.

The study is based on the responses of 5,797 members of Medicare Advantage, MedSupp, and PDP plans across the United States. The study was fielded in July of 2015. The report includes performance scorecards for the largest national and regional plans.


Learn more about the Senior Market Intelligence Service

 

Follow us: