One Size Doesn’t Fit All for Healthcare Communications

One size certainly does not fit all when it comes to medical coverage. People of different ages have vastly different needs and interests. The same applies when you’re communicating to consumers about their health coverage options.

When AvMed, one of Florida’s oldest and largest not-for-profit health plans, embarked on a strategic initiative 15 months ago to expand their Medicare HMO membership base, the company launched a number of new programs to provide top-notch service and forge stronger relationships with members. More recently it established a personal service representative program to increase efficiency and deepen knowledge of its Medicare members. Likewise, it introduced a new affiliation with the SilverSneakers Fitness^® Program to demonstrate the organization’s commitment to taking an active role in improving the health of its members.

Speaking to Medicare Members
“As we worked to tailor our services for the Medicare population, we realized a need to differentiate and customize our communications to this very important and unique member base,” says Winston Lonsdale, AvMed vice president and chief Medicare executive. From that point forward, everything sent to Medicare-eligible customers would be redesigned.
 
AvMed had always put effort into developing member communication materials for its commercial health plan customers. For years, those pieces had been simply revised and repurposed for the Medicare members.

“We made a conscious decision that, going forward, the tone, images and content of all our Medicare communications needed to reflect an active adult lifestyle,” says Lonsdale. “This resonates with a large segment of today’s older adult population and makes AvMed attractive to them when they’re considering a health plan.”

With the help of Wax, AvMed’s strategic partner, the enhanced services and marketing are producing results. In the 2009-2010 open enrollment period, the AvMed Medicare Preferred division surpassed its forecast for new enrollment by 30 percent.

AvMed continues to work to gain a better understanding its customers and adapt its services to meet the consumers’ needs. Lonsdale says they still have quite a ways to go.

Launching ASPIRE Magazine
The health plan is about to debut a newly redesigned Medicare member publication. “We named the magazine ASPIRE because it’s the perfect word to sum up our attitude towards our health,” Lonsdale explains. “The word aspire means to have a great ambition, an ultimate goal, a strong desire, a willingness to strive. In terms of this magazine, that goal is to inspire and support adults as they optimize their own health.”

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