When the COVID-19 public health emergency expires, nearly 80 million Medicaid members will have their eligibility redetermined. This redetermination will disproportionately impact members of under-resourced communities, which comprise the majority of Medicaid members. However, many Medicaid members are unaware of this risk of coverage loss due to low engagement with their plan.
This is just one of many reasons Medicaid plans need to focus on improving engagement to support their members. Knowledge of health plan benefits informs a higher standard of care for members. Unfortunately, social determinants of health, socioeconomic status, race, and preferred language are too often not factored into plan communications, resulting in low response rates. Tailored outreach that acknowledges these critical factors can improve engagement, establish trust, and result in better health, satisfaction, and quality ratings.
Overcoming barriers to care requires examination of three key factors, including individual habits, social determinants of health (SDoH), and reachability and communication preferences. Medicaid members have the highest rates of poverty and often experience other challenges, such as inadequate access to transportation, which prevent regular check-ups. Engagement opportunities can improve outreach and member retention to achieve equitable health outcomes across a wide array of health plan programs (Figure 1).
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Enrollment and Onboarding |
HRA |
Preventive Care |
Condition Management and Episodic Care |
Redetermination |
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Enrollment in Medicaid MCO |
Health and SDOH Assessment |
Establishing a Medical Home |
Managing Conditions |
Member |
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Figure 1. Medicaid member engagement opportunities.
Empathy should be at the forefront of communications as plans adapt their messages for multiple audiences, going beyond simple translation to capture cultural nuances. This is bolstered by a “whole-person” approach to care management, which considers the complete picture of member data to optimize understanding of patients’ needs. Inequities are maintained in the healthcare system through failure to close gaps in care and unequal resource distribution when critical member data is overlooked. Segmentation of plan membership enables plans to target each population at the right time with the right message.
Ultimately, plans that invest in proactive member engagement strategies will yield higher quality scores and deliver a better member experience and health outcomes. Read our new white paper and learn how Medicaid plans can support whole-person, culturally competent, and equitable care—from enrollment to renewal.