Radar on Medicare Advantage

As the industry prepares for a comprehensive overhaul of the model used to determine Medicare Advantage insurers’ risk-adjusted pay, the top three MA organizations signaled during recent earnings calls that they are well positioned for the changes.

Reporting first-quarter 2023 financial results on May 3, CVS Health Corp. beat Wall Street expectations of $2.09 per share with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.20, largely driven by better-than-expected membership in the health care benefits segment despite a year-over-year increase in medical loss ratio. Total revenues increased 11% from the first quarter of 2022 to reach $85.2 billion, fueled by growth across all segments, while the health care benefits segment (Aetna) generated revenues of $25.9 billion, up from $23.1 billion a year ago. Medical membership grew sequentially by 1.1 million members to a total of 25.5 million lives as of March 31, reflecting increases across all product lines including growth of 900,000 in the Affordable Care Act exchange business.

In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people were having trouble accessing basic personal protective equipment, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield began sending out care kits including PPE and other items to support seniors at home. The response from Medicare Advantage members was so positive that what started out as a feel-good gesture has become a full-blown supplemental benefit, and the insurer continues to refine the kits to meet members’ evolving needs and ensure continued satisfaction with the plan.   

Starting with plan year 2022, eligible Highmark members were given the option to receive one of 17 condition care kits. Commonly referred to as the “big blue box,” each kit is filled with a variety of items tailored to a specific condition, with a focus on member choice and high quality, speakers from Highmark and its strategic partner RR Donnelley explained during the 14th Annual Medicare Market Innovations Forum, held on March 28 and 29 in Orlando.

Since the conclusion of the 2023 Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP), several common threads have emerged from industry reports, Medicare Advantage insurers and marketing experts. These include a slow start to the AEP, a higher rate of switching among MA enrollees, increased use of digital channels, and member confusion or frustration with certain benefits. These observations and other data may help MA insurers and their marketing partners predict future member movement and influence strategy when it comes to both marketing and benefit design.

While the midterm elections certainly created a distraction, inflation and economic concerns may have created a drag in signups, suggested Dan Paladino, vice president of healthcare client experience with Amsive, while speaking at the 14th Annual Medicare Market Innovations Forum, held March 27-29 in Orlando. At the same time, the digital marketing agency observed more people using digital tools to conduct their research about coverage, such as online educational videos and Google search. “When that happens, they’re not picking up the phone and calling as early as we would probably like and I think some of our clients would like,” said Paladino, during a panel discussion moderated by AIS Health.