Policyholders have higher approval of their plans in most areas—but there is plenty of room for improvement, two industry reports show.
Consumers have a more favorable view of health plans than they once did, according to the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index report.
The ACSI report covers finance and insurance, which includes health insurance along with property and casualty insurance, life insurance, retail banks, credit unions, and internet investment services.
ACSI researchers estimated customer sentiment based on email interviews with 9,608 policyholders between July 11 and September 23. These interviews showed the health insurance industry's overall favorability improved by 4.3%, to an average of 72 on a 100-point scale.
All major providers posted gains over the previous year. Aetna and Anthem both saw significant gains to tie for first place at 75. Kaiser Permanente is up 4% to 74, followed by the group of smaller insurers at 73. Humana gained 1% to reach 72, the industry average.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield, however, fell short of the average at 71. Other underperformers included UnitedHealth, although it gained 6% to reach 70. Cigna had the largest gain, but was last at 67.
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Policyholders believe many aspects of the health insurance industry have improved, including access to primary care and specialty care doctors. Coverage of medical services is slightly better than it was a year ago, and it is easier to submit a claim, according to the report.
There's still room for improvement. "As with last year, consumers do not find insurance statements easy to understand. While call centers are doing a better job, this contact channel still scores low (73)."
The least satisfying aspect of health coverage is the choice of available plans with differing levels of coverage, premiums, deductibles, and copays, indicating that consumers are looking for more choice, the report found.
The ACSI findings are similar to those of a J.D. Power Member Health Plan Study released in March. On a nationwide basis, member satisfaction with their health plans improved nine index points in 2016, scoring a total of 688 on a 1,000-point scale. That followed a 10-point improvement in 2015, the J.D. Power study found.
Member satisfaction with health plans reached a low point in 2014 after the introduction of the health insurance marketplace as part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The Member Health Plan Study concluded that policyholder satisfaction is highest in areas of the country that have more competition among health plans.
Member satisfaction in cost and information and communication was significantly lower in areas where one carrier holds more than 50% of market share, the study found.
However, in markets with less competition, members were more satisfied with the choices within their plan. J.D. Power theorized that some customers might be happier with fewer options because too many choices can be overwhelming.