7 Benefits of a Dynamic, Personalized Welcome Kit That Gets Results 

Table of Contents

1. Welcome Kits Reduce Disenrollment Rates by Improving Loyalty
2. Welcome Kits Create a Memorable First Impression for Members
3. Use Highly Personalized Information to Build Support for the Member
4. Welcome Kits Empower Omnichannel Communications for a Truly Unique Member Experience
5. Better Education Supports Improved Patient Outcomes
6. Promote Preventive Care for Lower Healthcare Costs
7. Welcome Kits Present an Opportunity for Feedback and Improvement

Open enrollment is a pivotal moment for both new and existing health plan members. Some enroll for the first time, while others can re-enroll, change their current plan—or switch providers altogether.  

As health plan providers, it’s part of the job to guide members through and beyond the enrollment process, ensuring they feel supported and cared for. Because what happens after open enrollment is what matters most. 

After open enrollment, the communication pieces provided to members offer them the perfect opportunity to engage with the personalized information they want and need to navigate their healthcare journey.  

Your role in presenting and delivering this communication is essential. A well-designed welcome kit is the most effective way to showcase your plans, benefits, and services, fostering confidence and leaving a lasting impression. 

Here are the top 7 benefits of leveraging dynamic, personalized welcome kits to attract members, develop solid relationships that increase engagement and satisfaction, and—most importantly—keep them enrolled year after year.  

1. Welcome Kits Reduce Disenrollment Rates by Improving Loyalty 

Every health plan provider would love to claim a 100% member retention rate. However, this just isn’t possible. Retention among plan members fluctuates based on age, whether they move or change jobs, and life experiences.  

Instead, health plan providers should use personalized welcome kits to build better member loyalty and minimize disenrollment rates.  

It’s possible to gauge where you fall by comparing your disenrollment rates against the industry average. For instance, a study by the Commonwealth Fund revealed that in 2021, 17% of enrollees voluntarily disenrolled from a Medicare Advantage plan. It’s a 70% increase from 2017 when the disenrollment rate sat at 10% and the most common reasons for members to disenroll are chronic conditions and low-income rates.  

According to Havard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, survey results showed that 71% of respondents and/or their dependents had been enrolled in Medicaid in 2020. 12.5% reported they had been disenrolled by fall 2023. Of those disenrolled members, 52% found another form of insurance, while 48% reported being uninsured. The disenrollment rate was much higher for younger respondents, who lived in a rural area, were employed, and were likelier to be a woman.  

In looking at these stats it’s important to remember that member engagement is an ongoing process. When a member feels ignored or mistreated by a plan, this is the moment where they begin to look elsewhere. 

Therefore, what happens after the member enrolls is vital to building lasting loyalty with members. Sending a well-crafted, dynamic welcome kit with all the information they need to move seamlessly through their healthcare journey is the perfect place to start. 

2. Welcome Kits Create a Memorable First Impression for Members 

After enrollment, the first communication piece a member receives is their health plan welcome kit. Presenting a well-designed, personalized, and professionally printed welcome kit will turn heads and set the tone for the member’s relationship with your organization.  

Imagine the engagement you can generate from printed saddle-stitch booklets created from data-driven personalization, complete with durable tip-on ID cards made from high-quality synthetic material. Providing a cohesive, professional welcome kit not only enhances the look and feel, but also resonates with members, offering reliable communication pieces tailored to their unique needs—resources they will value and reference repeatedly. 

Sending members a professional-looking, personalized welcome kit, complete with ID card and more, helps members understand what’s expected of them while building trust in your plans. The benefit is that members are more likely to engage because the experience is tailored to their unique needs and wants. You have an improved chance of retaining these members because they appreciate this enhanced experience.  

3. Use Highly Personalized Information to Build Support for the Member 

• A government mandated document called the Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) that offers members confirmation of their coverage and benefits. The SBC must be written in plain language and include two common coverage examples (diabetes and childbirth), so members know what to expect from their plans.  
• New members need to learn how to find their claims, forms, or even the portal to their account. First-time access and access to care instructions help members understand how to find these items and learn about their urgent care and emergency information, which includes telehealth and emergency room guidelines,  
• For plans that include prescription coverage, members must receive personalized information regarding their pharmacy benefits. You must also provide a preferred drug list that outlines generic vs. name-brand drugs, cost-saving long-term prescription delivery options, and details about drugs requiring special permissions.  
• Member tools and resources specific to the member’s needs and plan are extremely valuable in a welcome kit. Include educational pieces, such as brochures based on personalized, conditions like diabetes with tips on managing symptoms. You can also include available wellness and fitness programs. To personalize this even further, you can leverage technology like interactive video.  

4. Welcome Kits Empower Omnichannel Communications for a Truly Unique Member Experience 

An omnichannel approach is a member-centric approach. And today’s members want options, including how they receive communications like welcome kits.  

After open enrollment, some members might want a printed and mailed personalized welcome kit with important contact information and links to additional resources. In contrast, others might prefer an email with a link to a portal to find their digital welcome kit, while their ID card is provided via mail.  

The benefits of an omnichannel communication approach are far-reaching. It allows for more touchpoints between you and your members, and members can engage in multiple ways from email to in-person. Members can choose to use the platform(s) they like best. With the right customer communication solution, it’s possible to personalize welcome kit messaging to segments with unique data to make them compelling and relevant to every member.  

An omnichannel approach makes members feel valued and important, which leads to the ultimate goal: increased member satisfaction. Happy members who receive the right information, at the right time, in the channel of their choice, are more likely to recommend their health plan provider and have a more seamless healthcare journey from start to finish.  

5. Better Education Supports Improved Patient Outcomes 

With a strategic approach, a dynamic welcome kit opens the door for health plan providers like you to give members the education they need based on their preferences. It not only helps with member retention through improved loyalty, but more importantly, significantly contributes to improved patient outcomes. 

Customer communications management solutions help you build a strategic welcome kit that includes additional support with highly personalized information. You gain the opportunity to include educational healthcare material and resources.  

Let’s say, for example, you have a member with a hypertension (high blood pressure) diagnosis. A personalized welcome kit tailors the information to include specific educational resources about hypertension to educate that member on steps to take to treat and manage their condition.  

When effectively communicated, these self-care techniques help members manage their symptoms and reduce complications. More importantly, they guide members on when to seek help. Informed members tend to avoid behaviors that worsen their health conditions, which can significantly lower readmission rates.  

6. Promote Preventive Care for Lower Healthcare Costs 

Prevention is everything. As mandated by the government, most health plan providers must offer plans that include preventive healthcare measures.  

Preventive care is accessible when delivered by a doctor or provider and can include: 

• Immunizations (flu, mumps, measles, chickenpox, etc.) 
• Depression screening 
• Tobacco use screening 
• Falls prevention 
• Cholesterol screening 
• Diet counseling 
• Blood pressure screening
  

Preventive care allows members to take control of their healthcare journey and reduce the risk of developing potentially life-threatening conditions. More importantly, it can catch signs and symptoms early. Since chronic conditions worsen over time, early detection through preventive care improves later outcomes.

Including information about preventive care in welcome kits informs members about the processes and procedures they can access to maintain their health. When members receive personalized details about the preventive care they need, they’re more likely to take action. This proactive approach not only reduces the likelihood of future procedures but also helps lower healthcare costs.

7. Welcome Kits Present an Opportunity for Feedback and Improvement 

Use your welcome kits to gain insights into your members and industry competitors. With a customer communications management solution, you can access this data and create a feedback loop for continuous improvement.  

You can gain insight by tapping into analytics like,  

• Questions to customer support about the welcome kits: What types of inquiries do members have about the information you provided? Do you receive repeat questions about the same issues? What patterns do you see with these inquiries?  
• Industry and competitor trends: Keeping an eye on the content and information your competitors include in their welcome kits is a terrific way to pinpoint areas of improvement.  

Developing a professional saddle-stitch booklet with personalized details and other relevant member information is a great start. It will help to attract and retain members. However, to take your engagement one step further, evaluate how well your welcome kit works and what needs improvement to enhance the member experience.  

Make Every Touchpoint Count with Welcome Kits that Members Love 

Remember: building loyalty and engagement doesn’t end after enrollment. Far from it! The welcome kit is a vital touchpoint that can make or break a member’s experience and determine whether they enroll again.  

So, take advantage of the benefits a professional, personalized welcome kit offers in attracting members and developing relationships for increased engagement and satisfaction, today and for years to come.