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To boost your health plan’s impact next year, take a closer look at your January welcome strategy. Research consistently shows that the first few months are critical for establishing strong member engagement. Effective onboarding improves member satisfaction and fosters trust in the health plan, which can directly impact retention. This is particularly true in the Medicare Advantage (MA) space, where growing competition and demographic shifts contribute to higher churn rates. 63% of MA members report that early engagement significantly influences their satisfaction with the plan.
Meaningful engagement during this initial phase streamlines member’s path to care and reinforces their confidence in the plan. Prioritizing personalized, omnichannel communication and emphasizing key early touchpoints—such as promoting annual wellness visits—can help members feel supported and engaged from day one.
According to the JD Power 2023 Commercial Health Plan Member Study, overall satisfaction with health plans has fallen by 13 points, primarily due to issues with customer service performance. By remaining attentive to the needs and preferences of members, health plans can personalize onboarding, creating positive first impressions and nurturing long-lasting relationships.
Deepening engagement and improving outcomes
Creating a tailored onboarding experience on members’ preferred platforms—whether it’s through an online portal, email, phone calls, chat, apps, or text messages—can really make a difference. According to a study by TechTarget, health plans that adopt a multi-channel communication approach are better positioned to increase member engagement and satisfaction by meeting members where they are most comfortable. Medicare Advantage beneficiaries also show a clear preference for omnichannel marketing and communication, making it the most effective strategy for engaging this group.
Using enrollment data—like contact info, preferences, care gaps, and risk factors—is essential for customizing the onboarding experience and reaching members through their favorite channels. Adding real-time feedback into the mix can really boost the effectiveness of onboarding, empowering members to take charge of their health.
The welcome call is a key moment for health plans to gauge each member’s communication preferences, allowing them to effectively share information about preventive care and available resources. Similarly, providing self-service tools can really empower members to take control of their health. It shows that health plans are not just service providers but also valuable resources for education and support.
Boosting wellness visits and Star ratings
Preventive visits are key for health plans, as they help meet HEDIS measures, enhance chronic disease management, and facilitate accurate risk adjustment reporting for MA–all while ensuring compliance and optimizing member outcomes.
A lack of early engagement in a member’s care journey can lead to voluntary disenrollment during open enrollment, which negatively impacts Star ratings. Holistically pairing a personalized welcome with follow-up calls, pulse surveys, HRAs and preventive care outreach, enables health plans to position themselves as committed partners in the member journey and build trust.
January is the perfect time to highlight the benefits of preventive care to members during the onboarding process. Members are eager to use their coverage at the start of the enrollment season. So, highlighting these services not only supports member health but also reduces long-term costs, improves quality scores, and bolsters Star ratings – thereby unlocking higher CMS payments and ensuring competitiveness.
Rx for success
While it’s clear that onboarding plays a pivotal role in driving better outcomes, fewer than half of the respondents in a McKinsey study were fully satisfied with key aspects of their onboarding experience. These include access to condition-specific resources, digital health tools, selecting a primary care provider, and enrolling in additional benefits.
As these areas become more significant in plan selection, addressing these gaps during the onboarding process can help health plans align better with member expectations and stand out in the marketplace. A personalized multi-channel onboarding strategy effectively bridges the sales process with the member journey, enhancing engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty.