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Confused by Health Insurance Options? Youa?re Not Alone; Communications Can Help, Xerox Survey Finds

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  Published in House and Home on Tuesday, November 16th 2010 at 5:30 GMT by Market Wire
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ROCHESTER, N.Y.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--With millions of Americans choosing annual health insurance benefits over the next few weeks, employers and insurance providers should take note a" their employees and customers are heading into open enrollment feeling confused about their options, according to a nationwide survey by [ Xerox Corporation ] (NYSE: XRX).

"Healthcare is a very personal experience. Insurance providers who tap into that with customized communication will reap the benefits of increased customer loyalty"

Revealing a need for benefits providers and health insurers to re-vamp customer communications, the survey shows:

• 55 percent think their insurance provider should make benefits information easier to understand; 36 percent would like the communications personalized
• 51 percent believe their employer should make options easier to understand; 32 percent want personalized communications

The need for better communication is fueled by consumer uncertainty about federal healthcare reform; 44 percent say they are not sure how their health plan is impacted.

aHealthcare is a very personal experience. Insurance providers who tap into that with [ customized communication ] will reap the benefits of increased customer loyalty,a said Paul Lundy, vice president, [ Xerox Global Document Outsourcing ]. aFrom open enrollment to claims processing, therea™s a tremendous opportunity to better communicate with customers through their preferred channels a" whether its e-mail, smartphone or direct mail a" and deliver a more positive experience.a

Xerox helps insurers and employers connect with customers

The survey also indicated that only 14 percent of those polled feel the communications they receive from their insurance provider is easy to understand, while 36 percent find it difficult, and 56 percent say theya™re most likely to pick up the phone to contact their provider when they have a question.

[ Regence ], a leading health insurer headquartered in Portland, Ore., turned to Xerox to help improve customer satisfaction among its 2.5 million members. Regence worked with Xerox to redesign its explanation of benefits (EOB) statements, and both the companya™s customer service specialists and members like the new format because the statements are easier to understand.

aOne of the Regence core strategies is to enable our members to make informed decisions based on the value of healthcare services.This redesigned EOB gives us the opportunity to educate our members and give them the tools they need to make these decisions,a said Carol Rouzpay, director of Membership Operations for Regence. aIt also conveys the value of the Regence brand.a

Other examples of Xerox services helping to simplify benefits selection include:

• [ Customer care services ] through ACS, A Xerox Company, help health insurance companies communicate plan information and answer questions from their members a" allowing them to focus on quality of care and new product introduction, while ACS helps reduce costs and meet regulatory demands.
• [ Xerox Enterprise Marketing Services ] helps insurance companies and employers collect and use customer data to personalize communications and deliver information the way customers prefer a" via print, e-mail and social media methods a" to boost response rates.
• [ My Medicare Advocate ] helps HR departments assist retirees with Medicare enrollment combining call center support, a Web portal and range of written materials to simplify the process. ACS partners with HR departments to transform their [ benefit services ] into more efficient operations, managing benefits for more than 5.5 million employees and retirees around the world.

Methodology

Kelton Research conducted the survey of more than 1,000 insured Americans, ages 18 and over, between Sept. 15, and Sept. 22, 2010 on behalf of Xerox Corporation. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The survey had a margin of error plus or minus of 3.1 percentage points.

About Xerox

Xerox Corporation is a $22 billion leading global enterprise for business process and [ document management ]. Through its broad portfolio of technology and [ services ], Xerox provides the essential back-office support that clears the way for clients to focus on what they do best: their real business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., Xerox provides leading-edge [ document technology ], services, software and [ genuine Xerox supplies ] for [ graphic communication ] and [ office printing environments ] of any size. Through ACS, A Xerox Company, which Xerox acquired in February 2010, Xerox also offers extensive [ business process outsourcing ] and [ IT outsourcing services ], including data processing, HR benefits management, finance support, and customer relationship management services for commercial and government organizations worldwide. The 133,000 people of Xerox serve clients in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit [ http://www.xerox.com ], [ http://news.xerox.com ] or [ http://www.acs-inc.com ]. For investor information, visit [ http://www.xerox.com/investor ].

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