Temkin Group recently released their 2016 Temkin Experience Ratings, which grades companies across different industries on the basis of customer experience. It may not come as a surprise to my colleagues in the healthcare industry that health plans were rated lowest of all 20 industries evaluated. (No health plans were even ranked among the top 50 companies, though Tricare and Kaiser can claim the top two spots within the payer vertical.)
This doom and gloom comes as consumers have raised their expectations around consumer experience, based on the online self-service standards now set by retailers, delivery services, banks, and credit card companies. In addition, more than 16 million new consumers have enrolled in health insurance through Affordable Care Act-related programs (like the exchanges), and these members are often novices when it comes to health benefits, needing more guidance than a commercial member and more interaction with the plan, by default. Combine this with the growing emphasis on member engagement and chronic disease management, and health plans have their work cut out for them.
But all is not lost! I thought Kelly Rakowski’s recent article in Managed Healthcare Executive did a nice job of laying out three areas in which health plans can improve the member experience and potentially move up in the Temkin Ratings (perhaps because they’re topics I’ve steadily beat the drum about over the past couple of years):
There’s a lot at stake here. Exchange members are increasingly fickle and bring a different set of expectations for service than what health plans are used to, and this results in lower retention rates and higher shopping rates than health plans are used to in their commercial business.
As a JD Power report recently put it, “health plans need to take a more customer-centric approach and keep their members engaged through regular communications about programs and services available through their plan. When members perceive their plan as a trusted health partner, there is a positive impact on loyalty and advocacy.”
Here’s hoping the next year brings an elevated member experience, and a spirited climb up the basement stairs into the daylight!
Countless studies have found that earning customer loyalty is all about making things effortless. Here’s five ways to deliver the effortless, intelligent experiences customers crave.
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