Fewer MA plan members actively managed their health during the COVID-19 pandemic

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In a year when it seemed like everyone was focused on healthcare, fewer Medicare Advantage plan members actively managed their care. 

According to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study, although overall customer satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans has significantly increased year over year, plans are still struggling when it comes to member communication and engagement.

That's a problem, seeing as how MA plans have begun to position themselves as community health organizations. According to J.D. Power, the plans realize that better outcomes are linked to more active engagement among members, with an emphasis on preventive health and the smart utilization of provider resources.

Yet despite this, many plans are still struggling in terms of information and communication – factors that, when the plans get it right, greatly improve satisfaction and retention.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

The active management of care among MA plan members is on the decline. Slightly more than half of MA plan members actively managed their care in the past year, a decline of nine percentage points from 2019, according to the study. The two most common ways in which plan members actively manage healthcare are checking whether a treatment or service is covered and asking their doctor or pharmacist for a generic drug instead of a brand name.

Despite improvements in satisfaction with information and communication this year, it's the lowest-performing factor evaluated by J.D. Power. Overall satisfaction scores are 54 points higher (on a 1,000-point scale) when members successfully engage with their plan to ask a question or solve a problem than when they have no engagement at all.

Just 34% of new MA plan members – those aged 65-68 or in their first year with the plan – say they are in "very good" or "better" health, and 46% say they have an annual income of $50,000 or more. These compare with 39% of established plan members (69 or older and not in the first year of the plan) who say they are in "very good" or "better" health and 56% who earn $50,000 or more.

Health plan portals, on the other hand, show promise. About 78% of MA members are registered for their health plan's member portal – up four percentage points from last year. Two-thirds of members have logged in to their health plan's portal, which is key, as portal use is associated with higher levels of satisfaction and improved member engagement.

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan ranks highest in Medicare Advantage plan overall satisfaction, with a score of 846. Highmark (834) ranks second and Cigna HealthSpring (822) ranks third.

THE LARGER TREND

The popularity of MA plans is growing for consumers and insurance companies.

For 2021, many consumers chose Medicare Advantage plans due to the plans' supplemental benefits. These include not just telehealth benefits, but COVID-19 supplemental benefits as well.

A Medicare Advantage study from December 2020 showed that, of those who decided on an MA plan because of supplemental benefits, 35% cited COVID-19 supplemental benefits specifically, while 27% cited telehealth benefits. Thirty-five percent are enrolled in an MA plan for 2021 because they've had it before and prefer it; 29% like the prescription drug coverage; 16% like the affordability; and 9% like the supplemental benefits.

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com