DestinationRx, a leading provider of Medicare plan and drug comparison tools, today announced the results of a DestinationRx analysis showing a significant increase in consumers choosing to enroll in health plans online, coupled with a parallel decrease in call center enrollments. An analysis of DestinationRx commercial enrollments shows a 12 percent shift from call center to online enrollment for 2008 to 2009 and an 11 percent shift from 2009 to 2010, for a 23 percent total increase in online enrollments over just two years. Similar trends were also visible in clients continuously working with us. For these clients the current plan year marks the first time that more enrollments were processed online than over the phone by DestinationRx.
“We have found that our online services are easily accessible to seniors, creating a more effective system for enrolling in health plans.”
"As the health insurance market rapidly becomes a digital environment, seniors have been remarkably adaptive. Our experience proves that seniors and their dependents understand and prefer the internet when shopping for the right plan," said Toby Rogers, Executive Vice President of DestinationRx. "Shopping online for health insurance has emerged as a major trend across all age groups, not just for the young and healthy."
The rising trend for consumers to enroll in health plans online rather than through call centers is a promising sign for the success of new health insurance exchanges. Health insurance exchanges allow consumers to compare and enroll in health plans online in order to generate competition and reduce costs for consumers. The prosperity and efficiency of a health insurance exchange requires that consumers be comfortable with online enrollment. Without consumer participation, health insurance exchanges will not succeed in creating new competitive markets that allow consumers to purchase affordable health insurance plans.
The DestinationRx analysis demonstrates that consumers, even seniors, are willing and able to enroll in health plans online. The data is significant as we see a push toward an electronic healthcare system that will operate more efficiently to reduce costs. The cooperation of consumers in elements such as health insurance exchanges will help to facilitate the success of the overall healthcare system.
"DestinationRx is excited to be a part of the new landscape of our healthcare system," adds Rogers. "We have found that our online services are easily accessible to seniors, creating a more effective system for enrolling in health plans."
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