Improvements in billing and payments, provider choice and consumer costs lifted member satisfaction with MA plans this year, according to a new J.D. Power study.1
Overall customer satisfaction with major MA plans is 809, on a 1,000-point scale — an increase of three points from 2021 and 15 points over the last five years. The ranking was based on coverage and benefits, provider choice, cost, customer service, information and communication, and billing and payment.
Consumers are increasingly reliant on digital plan information: 82% of MA members are registered for their plan’s member portal, representing an increase of 4% from last year. However, the study notes that 14% of those registered have never logged in.
Importantly, overall customer satisfaction is 72 points higher for customers who register and log in to the portal than for those who do neither. This means plans have a significant opportunity to improve member satisfaction by engaging more members through portals.
The mental health care opportunity
The report also uncovered an opportunity to better meet consumer needs with enhanced coverage for mental health services and care for substance abuse disorders, as a majority of members indicated they want more coverage in those areas.
About 1.7 million Medicare beneficiaries have a diagnosed substance use disorder and about 25% of Medicare beneficiaries have a mental health condition, underscoring a key opportunity to improve care, said Christopher Lis, managing director, global healthcare intelligence at J.D. Power.
“For some health plans, coverage can be improved. For others, increasing customer understanding of mental health benefits may be the bigger opportunity as beneficiaries might be aware that some coverage is available but may not fully understand which services and medications are covered.”
On a brighter note, 91% of members say they have enough coverage for routine diagnostics and 89% say they have sufficient coverage for preventive and wellness services.1
Plans have an important opportunity to boost member satisfaction by increasing use of their member portals and providing more and better-communicated mental health and substance use services. Those that do should see better engagement and satisfaction with the plan, and better member access to the care they need.
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References
- Customers Perceive Shortfall in Medicare Advantage Plan Coverage of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, J.D. Power Finds. J.D. Power. Aug. 18, 2022. https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2022-us-medicare-advantage-study
- Emerson, J. 2022 Medicare Advantage plans ranked by member satisfaction, per J.D. Power. Becker’s Payer Issues. Aug. 18, 2022. https://www.beckerspayer.com/payer/2022-medicare-advantage-plans-ranked-by-member-satisfaction-per-j-d-power.html
