The trends in healthcare payments are clear – change is needed now. For health plans and other payer organizations, business as usual cannot keep up with the demands of our modern economy. This is especially true as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the healthcare industry.
Download this informative white paper for the latest healthcare trends that payers must know and discover successful strategies to inform real growth.
Top trends in healthcare payments from this white paper include:
56% of payers were challenged by too many open positions and/or high staff turnover in 2022
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, consumers have deferred healthcare visits. Data shows that patient volumes have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. There is no real precedent to predict how and when patient volumes will fully rebound.
Whenever patients return to the doctor, many payer organizations are not ready for any upticks. This is due to various operational challenges reported by payers in 2022, including staffing issues.
71% of payers reported phone calls due to member confusion and payment questions as a top challenge
Current challenges for payers include friction in payment experiences for both providers and members. One example of this is the high volume of calls received due to confusion and payment inquiries from both providers and members.
This issue is driven by tools and channels not meeting the needs of providers and members, and it’s also a likely indicator of poor brand experience. To address these challenges, payers need to understand provider and member preferences and optimize their payment experiences.
94% of employers say managing healthcare benefit costs is a top priority
It’s hard to ignore retail’s push into healthcare. Large corporations are making strategic business moves into the healthcare space, which heats up competition for payers. However, payers can hold an advantage due to their deep ties to employer groups.
The payer relationship with employers is affected by increasing healthcare costs, which have surged in the last decade. Nearly all employers are focused on managing expenses related to health benefits for their workers. To compete with retail in healthcare, payers must scale existing operations and invest in innovation.