Medicaid Plans Have Higher Satisfaction Than Commercial Plans

A recent report from JD Power found that Medicaid managed care plans have higher customer satisfaction compared to private plans.

The report, known as the 2017 Managed Medicaid Special Report, measures overall customer satisfaction with Medicaid plans by examining 6 factors: provider choice; coverage and benefits; customer service; cost; information and communication; and claims processing.

“With the future of Medicaid funding as uncertain as ever, it is critical for state Medicaid agencies and managed care organizations to understand the enrollee mindset,” Valerie Monet, MPA, senior director of US health insurance operations at JD Power, said in a press release. “While, on the whole, Medicaid managed care organizations are scoring relatively high marks for overall customer satisfaction, there are some significant challenges involving access to care and cost of care that have the potential to have a counterproductive effect on patient engagement, and, ultimately, population health.”

_______________________________________________________________
Related Content
CMS to Cut $43 Billion in Hospital Payments
CMS Requests More Oversight Over Medicare Advantage
_______________________________________________________________

The report found that based on a 1000 point scale, Medicaid managed care plans have a customer satisfaction rating of 784, which is 78 points higher than commercial health plans. The researchers found that the driver of this higher satisfaction was provider choice.

The researchers also identified some key challenges associated with Medicaid managed care plans. They noted that 42% of Medicaid enrollees put off care due to cost, while 40% of patients avoid buying pharmaceuticals due to costs.

They also found that customer satisfaction results varied by state. They noted that Iowa, Tennessee, Arizona, and Indiana had the best scores for access to physicians and hospital services, compared with the rest of the United States. Kansas, Mississippi, Delaware, New Jersey, and California reported the lowest customer satisfaction in the United States.

Additionally, the report showed that while Indiana increased out-of-pocket costs under the Health Indiana reform, these additional costs did not impact cost satisfaction in the state.

—David Costill