Health Plans: Blocking the One-Two Punch

Matt Fidler, director of retail marketing for Highmark Inc., says the company's two retail spaces are part of a strategy to engage every member, whether it's in an employer or individual plan. About 10,000 people entered Highmark's two retail spaces who were looking for an insurer or wanted more information about health insurance within the stores' first six months, which pleases the insurer. As part of that member engagement strategy, Highmark has also dived into customer segmentation so it can target specific members.

"A lot of it is taking a look at data that either we have or data that is readily available in the market to better understand people's attitudes and beliefs about health and how they can engage it," says Fidler. "It's a matter of finding those folks within our membership and then saying to them, 'This is a program that is included in your membership at no additional cost that you may find very valuable.'"

Whether the person is receiving coverage through an employer or individually, Highmark reaches out to members in the same way, says Fidler.

This individual focus requires Highmark to better understand their members' needs and help them with their healthcare, which Fidler says will become increasingly important as healthcare changes.

"The health landscape will most likely change in the next coming years. We have to change with it in order to remain relevant to our members and the communities that we serve," says Fidler.

—Les Masterson