Why Medicare Advantage member churn is a lagging indicator
By the time a Medicare Advantage member switches plans, the conditions influencing that decision may have been developing for months. Retention problems often begin well before an enrollment period as unresolved issues accumulate and gradually weaken the member’s confidence in the plan. That distinction changes how plans should think about retention: what they measure, when they…
Read MoreThe Medicare Advantage retention gap: Turning member experience into a growth strategy
Growth in Medicare Advantage has become increasingly difficult to sustain. Acquisition costs are rising, competition is intensifying, and members are more willing than ever to switch plans in search of better value. A study found that 15.6% of Medicare Advantage members changed plans within one year after enrollment, and 49.2% changed plans after five years. For many organizations, the traditional growth model of driving enrollment while offsetting ongoing member losses is no longer sustainable. Retention is the missing…
Read MoreRenewal season is here. Are you defending premiums or demonstrating performance?
Employer healthcare analytics help health plans improve employer group performance Every renewal season, health plans meet with employers to discuss premium increases, review utilization trends, summarize claims experience, and highlight network strength and benefit enhancements. Employer healthcare analytics has become increasingly important in helping health plans demonstrate value beyond traditional reporting. Employers are facing unprecedented…
Read MoreBeyond the recalculation: Building better Stars performance
The decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to recalculate certain Medicare Advantage Star Ratings has generated understandable attention across the industry. I recently shared my perspective in Health Payer Specialist on what the recalculation means for Medicare Advantage organizations. In this post, I’d like to expand on one of those ideas:…
Read MoreBeyond care gap closure: Rethinking clinical strategy in Medicare Advantage
Closing care gaps has become a core focus for Medicare Advantage plans for good reason. Gap closure directly impacts Star Ratings, quality performance, and reimbursement. It’s measurable, actionable, and tied to clear programmatic goals. For many Medicare Advantage plans, it has also become the end point of clinical strategy rather than the starting point. That’s a problem. In today’s environment, where performance…
Read MoreFrom awareness to action: Unlocking the financial value of SDOH
Social determinants of health (SDOH) have become one of healthcare’s biggest strategic priorities, but many organizations still struggle with how to operationalize social risk data in a measurable, scalable way. In a recent HIMSSTV interview series, MedeAnalytics Chief Operating Officer Saleem Tahir joined Healthcare Finance News Executive Editor Susan Morse to discuss how healthcare organizations can…
Read MoreEnterprise analytics for Medicare Advantage: Why unified intelligence is the future of MA performance
Medicare Advantage organizations are facing growing pressure to improve quality outcomes, optimize financial performance, reduce compliance risk, and deliver better member experiences, all while managing increasingly complex operations. Yet many health plans still rely on disconnected reporting systems and siloed analytics tools to manage critical functions like Star Ratings, risk adjustment, finance, and population health. Different teams often operate from…
Read MoreWhere Medicare Advantage revenue leaks: The disconnect between RAF, Star Ratings, and MLR
Most Medicare Advantage revenue loss doesn’t show up where finance teams expect it. It’s not a single variance in a report or a clear miss against budget. It’s smaller, compounding gaps spread across risk adjustment, quality performance, and medical cost that quietly erode margin over time. Because those gaps sit in different parts of the organization, they’re rarely seen together. The visibility gap Finance leaders in Medicare Advantage have…
Read MoreAHIP26: Turning healthcare complexity into measurable performance
Health plans are navigating rising medical costs, intensifying regulatory demands, margin pressure, evolving member expectations, and growing operational complexity, all while being expected to improve outcomes, affordability, and experience. These challenges and expectations are resulting in leaders asking: How do we move faster, operate smarter, and drive measurable improvement in an increasingly complex healthcare environment? That…
Read MoreWhy “good” isn’t good enough: The hidden cost of sub-4 Star Medicare Advantage performance
Healthcare outcomes have never mattered more, and achieving exceptional performance has never been harder. Many mid-to-large health plans are below the 4-Star threshold in Medicare Advantage (MA). While that level of performance may seem acceptable, it can cost health plans millions. Why the 4-Star threshold is a financial turning point Medicare Advantage plans that fall below the 4-Star threshold forfeit eligibility for Quality Bonus Payments, which can reduce federal revenue…
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