The J.D. Power 2015 Medicare Advantage Member Satisfaction Study has ranked Cigna fifth best among 10 providers nationwide. Aetna comes in at eighth. Both received overall scores below the national average.
J.D. Power scores Bloomfield-based Cigna at 751 out of 1,000 possible points. Hartford-based Aetna is scored at 746 points. Both companies could see their scores change because of their impending mergers: Cigna, which is being acquired by Anthem (ranked 10th of 10) and Aetna, which is requiring Humana. Humana came in third in the rankings.
The inaugural study measures member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans—also called Medicare Part C—based on six factors (in order of importance): coverage and benefits (24 percent); provider choice (18 percent); customer service (16 percent); information and communication (16 percent); cost (15 percent); and claims processing (11 percent). Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale.
“Medicare Advantage health plan members tend to have a more favorable image of their health plan than do members of commercial plans on brand measures of trustworthiness, affordability, reputation and customer-centricity,” said Rick Johnson, Director of the Healthcare Practice at J.D. Power. “Members pay more to move from Medicare to Medicare Advantage, and the plans and the government do an excellent job demonstrating the value of the Medicare Advantage plan. Members feel the money spent is worth it.”
