SENIOR MARKET INSIGHTS SERVICE

The 2021 series begins with the Medicare Shopping and Switching Study. We will survey over 3,000 seniors to better understand their shopping and switching behavior during the AEP. Product preferences will be examined as well as sales and marketing channel usage. Year-over-year analysis will identify trends and deep drilldowns will provide a better understanding of shoppers, non-shoppers and plan switchers. Click here to view the 2020 study.

2021 Topics! Preliminary indications are that seniors will “stay put” during this AEP. We will be asking seniors how the election and COVID-19 may have impacted their shopping and switching actions: Were seniors less likely to shop or switch and why? Were seniors more likely to shop and enroll online than in the past? Did seniors move to richer or cheaper plans? How did they interact with agents? Also, in recent years we have seen increased movement of Medicare Supplement and Original Medicare Only seniors into Medicare Advantage plans. This study will look at these switchers: What products do they prefer? What shopping channels did they use?

Managed care penetration of the dual eligible population exceeds that of standard Medicare members, making Duals a very important growth segment for Duals health plans. This report focuses on the special challenges and opportunities associated with identifying, communicating with, and enrolling this unique population. Click here to view the 2020 study.

2021 Topics! The COVID-19 induced economic shock has increased the number of low-income seniors in the Medicare market. For 2021 we will examine product and marketing strategies for this growing market from both the insurer and the consumer perspective. In addition, we will examine how some social determinants of health, such as social isolation, have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and what influence this has had on the health care and information needs of Duals and other low-income seniors.

This add-on study to our Medicare Shopping and Switching Study examines what happened during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period that runs through March 2021. Post-AEP switching and the correlated factors will be examined as well as on-boarding experiences. Click here to view the 2020 study.

2021 Topics! Once the calendar turns to 2021, are seniors more willing to engage in face-to-face interactions with agents? How durable do preferences for online shopping appear to be a full year into the global crisis? To what extent might we see “pent up switching” during the OEP as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Medicare Age-In Study examines the motivation, timing, and actions taken by consumers as they complete the complicated transition to Medicare and choose their insurance plans. Click here to view the 2020 study.

2021 Topics! This study will follow the journeys of 64 year old consumers leading to Medicare enrollment and plan selection. What anxieties do Age-Ins have regarding Medicare enrollment? What types of MA or MedSupp value propositions do Age-Ins find compelling? To what extent do Age-Ins believe they can be swayed by insurer messaging? How appealing do Age-Ins view MA HMO-POS products or travel benefits? What types of supplemental benefit configurations can plans offer to help attract more first-time enrollees?

New for 2021, the Medicare Health Insurance Digital Tools Study builds off the recently introduced 2020 CMIS Usage of Digital Health Tools Study. The study will focus on how Medicare members use digital health tools—those provided by their insurers, their providers, and other third parties—to manage their health and navigate their coverage. This will be a new study, no 2020 report information is available.

2021 Topics! To what extent do Medicare members use digital tools to manage their health? How aware are seniors of real time drug cost tools, and how likely are they to use them? Do seniors believe that COVID-19 pushed them to be more digitally engaged than they otherwise might have been? For those that do, do they believe they will continue to stay digitally engaged into the future? With the prevalence of online shopping, how important is plan presentation and ranking in selection, and why do few senior enroll online?

This study examines trends in member satisfaction, retention, and loyalty by identifying how plan communications, customer service, and access to care drive these key performance measures. The study also addresses member engagement in health and wellness programs as well as programs aimed at addressing social determinants of health. Click here to view the 2020 study.

2021 Topics! To what extent is loyalty driven by risk aversion—fears or concerns over choosing the wrong coverage, having a major health episode, etc.—rather than (or in addition to) positive experiences created by the plan? In addition to various HEDIS adherence measures, how do other key indicators such as those from the Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) tie to Medicare consumer attitudes and loyalty?