Insurers Can Guide Americans Through Healthcare Confusion 

President Trump has put a freeze on healthcare regulations, until the new leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) decides which direction it wants to take. The President has thus far been vague about the changes he proposes, which has left insurance providers to wonder what the healthcare landscape will look like in the next few years. Everything is on the table, from substantial changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to the expansion of short-term, limited duration health plans. Americans will be looking for someone to cut through the healthcare confusion, which could be a boon for private insurers. However, this may be an uphill battle when consumer trust is at an all-time low. 

Healthcare Changes Could Come Fast  

If the flurry of executive orders issuing from the White House are any indication of the pace of change, we could expect to see things moving fast once the regulatory freeze is over. Though the ACA is unlikely to be completely repealed, due to its high popularity among Americans, if even the extended premium tax credits are allowed to expire at the end of 2025, almost 4 million Americans could fall off the “subsidy cliff”, meaning they would be forced to pay full price for their healthcare. 

While Medicare may see certain coverage decreased, the future of Medicaid is even less certain. If eligibility were restricted through proposed work requirements or block grants that cap program funding, fewer people may be covered, or certain coverage altogether could be denied.  

Insurance products could get more complex. Last time he was in office, President Trump expanded the availability of short-term, limited-duration health plans (STLDs) and relaxed federal standards for association health plans (AHPs), allowing them to be exempt from the ACA’s group market standards. While those plans were largely limited or rescinded by the Biden administration, they could be reinstated once again.  

What This Means for U.S. Insurers 

Some of these changes would save taxpayers millions of dollars. However, the short-term effect would likely cause chaos in the insurance Marketplace. Americans would feel lost, unsure of where to turn if they no longer qualified for Medicaid or Medicare.  

This would leave people scrambling to find insurance alternatives, such as private plans – one example being a possible sudden uptake in Medicare Advantage plans if coverage were restricted under regular Medicare. 

But, even if this opportunity presented itself, there are concerns among consumers that may make them less receptive to even the most well-thought-out marketing campaigns or public outreach. Trust in the insurance industry is at an all-time low. Nearly 60% of U.S. adults are concerned about unaffordable healthcare costs, and just 56% trust their insurer to do what’s best for them.  

This lack of trust could dampen private plan enrollments or even make consumers wary of approaching insurers for information, even at a time when people would be grateful for any solutions that could help them bridge coverage gaps.  

Be a Lifeline Through Healthcare Confusion 

Regulatory changes will be difficult enough for insurers to navigate, but a recent KFF consumer survey showed that over half of U.S. adults have difficulty understanding private health insurance. Imagine the confusion consumers will feel if regulations are altered or subsidized programs are restricted through new government policies. People who may not have needed a private plan before may find themselves suddenly thrust into the private insurance marketplace. 

Private insurers, even brokers, who navigate payors through this confusion could be the lifeline consumers are looking for, and this could go a long way towards regaining consumer trust. 

The first step is to ensure that people can easily access customer support for their inquiries. It’s great to have information available on a website or app, but nothing beats one-on-one support and personalized recommendations from empathetic and knowledgeable agents who can steer customers towards the plans that are right for them. Multilingual support, which is known to increase sales, is equally important, so people can speak their preferred language. 

This is where a CX partner can give insurers operational flexibility to weather the ebbs and flows of consumer demand. They can provide efficient, cost-effective multilingual support and fast claims processing, as well as new CX technologies that help insurers better understand, and meet, their members’ needs.  

For instance, according to KFF’s survey, 9 out of 10 consumers wish insurers would offer more accurate provider directories so plan members know which healthcare providers are in their network. A tech-forward CX partner can help implement AI to keep directories updated, deploying chatbots to communicate that information. This provides speed and cost efficiency by reserving human workforces for more nuanced tasks, such as claims management. 

By enhancing your customer experience in this way, it demonstrates a willingness to put your members first – something which could differentiate your brand from others while putting you on track to greater market share. 

Ready to cut through the confusion? Let’s get started! Find out how we can support healthcare insurers.