Healthcare navigation is an excellent service for health plans of all types to provide for members. However, if you’re in the discount medical plan category, you have even more reason to need healthcare navigation. If you’re unfamiliar with healthcare navigation, check out this blog first, and then come back to this one. Now, let’s dive in.

Healthcare navigation brings additional value to your discounts.

One of the purposes of discount medical plans is to offer medical services at reduced rates with participating providers and facilities. Because of this, it’s important for your members to shop around for care and know what providers or facilities are participating. But with healthcare cost varying so much these days - before and after the discount - it is still critically important for members to make an informed choice. Implementing a platform for members to easily and quickly shop around for healthcare will ensure members are getting quality care for a fair price. Healthcare navigation, whether through a self-service app or through a concierge patient advocacy service, can help direct members to even more healthcare cost savings. 

Healthcare navigation can improve your member satisfaction and retention.

News flash: people want to know the prices of healthcare and want to be able to shop for healthcare. A McKinsey study found that 41% of members reported that one of their top three needs from their payer is to make things easier to understand. Plus:

• 58% of those surveyed said they wanted clarity around how much their healthcare will cost.
• 50% reported being unsatisfied with their ability to access cost information.
• 60% said cost was the most important factor for them to know before selecting insurance, choosing where to get care, or deciding on a treatment.

By giving members access to healthcare navigation tools that make transparent health pricing possible, you’ll meet the needs that almost 100% of Americans want. Imagine how much your member satisfaction, retention, and even growth would increase by providing this service.

Healthcare navigation sets you apart from the competition.

Beyond cost savings, independent healthcare navigation helps members with many of the aspects of healthcare that have become even more challenging over the past few years. Services can include finding a new doctor or specialist, scheduling an appointment, getting medical records transferred, or arranging transportation. Your health plan competition may be too stretched to help with these things, so when you provide this help, members will feel like they won the benefits lottery. An added bonus is that when you offer healthcare navigation, your member satisfaction will go up. Some members select a discount plan because they have been priced out of the major health plan market. When they get those savings plus service that exceeds expectations the become huge fans. This leads to positive reviews and recommendations. A positive reputation will also differentiate you from other discount medical plans and even larger or more traditional health plans.

Final thoughts.

For discount medical plans, healthcare navigation is a great service that benefits you and your members. It ensures members get the most out of their plans and that you have high member satisfaction and retention. Healthcare navigation saves money, effectively increases the value of your existing benefits, improves members’ healthcare experiences, and sets you apart from competitors.