Twitter Tells All: What Seniors Really Think About Medicare

Always an unwieldy topic, since health care reform has entered the picture, seniors are more confused than ever about how Medicare works. Stewart has heard a lot of misguided opinions over the past year and a half, many stemming from consumers who are aging into the program and trying to grasp the implications of health care reform all at once. "The real impact of health care reform on Medicare is still to be seen," she says, "The five-star ratings and more of a reimbursement model based on customer satisfaction is absolutely a positive, but on the other side, we still don't know whether coverage will be there at the level consumers are expecting." No one knows exactly what to expect, but staying informed on the latest reform developments and sharing these with your clients is deeply valuable to consumers.

 3.    Differentiate between plans.

Seniors spend a lot of time talking about Medicare plan types and supplements. The online topics mentioned most include Medicare Part D (32.8%), Part C (31.3%), and Medicare supplements (8.9%). Some of these sentiments are negative: Seniors are constantly confused by changes to private plans, and upset when plans are eliminated. Says Stewart: "There is unbelievable confusion between traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Med Supp." What's really exciting, she says, is the advent of special-needs plans that target diabetes and other chronic diseases. These new plans focus on the individual and can dramatically improve someone's quality of life and longevity.

 4.    Focus on customer service.

Remarkably, given the confusion that surrounds the program, Medicare customers are largely satisfied with their coverage. This goes against the stereotype, says Stewart. "We know from research … that Medicare has scored higher than [other] health plans. So, although we think that there's a negative impression of Medicare, seniors are really very appreciative of having that health coverage." Still, there's room for improvement. Because the service consumers most want is education, agents should strive to communicate clear, simple facts that are highly relevant to their target market. And recognize that confusion doesn't point to a lack of intelligence. "Confusion doesn't mean that seniors aren't smart, it might just mean that something needs to be explained more clearly," concludes Stewart.

 5.    Look at the 12-month picture. Although the marketing season is contained, consumers today don't just think about Medicare during enrollment period. To fully meet your clients' needs, it's important that you communicate with them year-round. In part, this is because people aren't always aging in as they turn 65. Some wait longer, which means that advisors must work harder to anticipate when prospects or clients might need information. One way to do this is simply to join the online conversation. "I was very impressed with that sense of community," Stewart notes in closing, "and let me say that it was not just consumers. There were a lot of professional bloggers and broker-agents [who were joining the conversation] and trying to support one another."