Carenet’s recent report on member experience yielded surprising results. It turns out that Medicare & Medicaid members feel more cared for by their insurance company than commercial plan members. Find out why.
The experience that insurance plan members have is important. Not only does a positive experience improve loyalty, it can also lead to improved outcomes. When members have easy access to healthcare services, clear communication about their coverage, and support in navigating the complex healthcare system, they are more likely to seek timely medical care and adhere to treatment plans.
Surprising Member Experience Survey Results
Carenet, a company that provides clinical telehealth and member/patient engagement services to payers as well as providers, recently released a report on plan member experience. That report was based on a survey of 1200 plan members conducted by the company. There were several surprising results:
- 78.9% of Medicare members and 74.1% of Medicaid members felt their insurance company cared about their health and wellbeing while only 60.5% of those with commercial plans felt the same.
- 89.2% of plan members who are 60+ said using technology to manage their health is important
- 89.1% of respondents want phone reps who are “well-versed in healthcare
Swaay.Health reached out to Carenet to discuss these results and John Erwin, CEO of Carenet agreed to come on camera to provide additional context.
Medicare & Medicaid Plan Members Feel Cared For
“I was surprised at how cared for Medicare and Medicaid plan members felt,” shared Erwin. “That is the opposite of conventional thinking. We’re used to hearing about the struggles patients in that population have and how they are not as well supported as we would like. However, this result is telling us a different story.”
“If you think about it, this population is much more dependent on their healthcare providers and also on the plans that they have,” continued Erwin. “When you look at it through this lens, it becomes pretty clear that the groups that need the healthcare support the most, are getting it.”
Erwin was quick to point out that this does not mean that all is well with Medicare and Medicaid, but the survey result does indicate that these plan members are, for the most part, feeling supported by their insurance company.
Older Plan Members Want to Use Technology
Another survey result that was surprising, yet shouldn’t be, was the high percentage of members older than 60 who felt it was important to use technology to manage their health. This is counter to the stereotype that the elderly do not want or know how to use tech.
“This group is very up to speed with technology,” said Erwin. “They are using their iPhones hours per day. They have time. They have grandkids and other reason to be on Facebook. I’m glad this survey picked it up because for us as a company, it means is that we need to really embrace them as tech-savvy consumers.”
