Health plans today often include a growing number of health plan tools designed to support members throughout their health care journey. From care navigation services and member advocacy programs to telehealth options, cost transparency resources and wellness tools, many plans offer resources that can help members make informed decisions and navigate questions more confidently.
For brokers, the conversation frequently centers on selecting the right plan and benefits package. Equally important, however, is helping members understand the resources already available to them after enrollment. A plan tool only creates value when members know it exists, understand what it does and recognize when to use it.
Tool adoption starts with awareness
Most members do not spend time thinking about their health plan until they need it.
Questions often arise during key moments:
- A medical bill arrives unexpectedly.
- A provider recommendation is needed.
- A prescription cost seems different than expected.
- A member is unsure where to begin.
When these situations occur, members typically turn to the resources they know. If health plan tools have not been introduced and reinforced throughout the year, many members default to calling HR, contacting the broker or attempting to resolve issues on their own.
Awareness is often the first barrier to utilization.
A communication strategy helps bridge the gap between availability and understanding by putting the right information in front of members before questions arise.
What brokers are seeing in the field
Across the benefits landscape, brokers continue to focus on member engagement and education as part of the overall plan experience.
Many employers invest significant effort in plan selection, open enrollment and onboarding communications. Once enrollment closes, however, communication often slows down while member questions continue throughout the year.
This creates a familiar pattern.
Members may have access to advocacy resources, care support services or educational materials, yet remain unaware of them until a challenge occurs. The result can be confusion, unnecessary support requests and missed opportunities to connect members with available resources.
A consistent communication approach helps keep important health plan tools visible and relevant throughout the year rather than limiting education to enrollment season.
Communication creates confidence in health plan tools
The goal of communication is not simply to promote a resource. It is to help members understand how and when to use it.
Members are more likely to engage with health plan tools when communications answer practical questions such as:
- What is this resource?
- Why might it be helpful?
- When should I use it?
- How do I access it?
Simple reminders, educational campaigns and real-world examples can make unfamiliar resources easier to understand.
Over time, this familiarity can help members feel more confident navigating questions and determining next steps when issues arise.
Education supports a better member experience
An informed member is often better equipped to use the resources available through their plan.
When members understand their options:
- Questions may be answered more quickly.
- Appropriate resources are easier to access.
- Support interactions can become more productive.
- The overall plan experience may feel less overwhelming.
For brokers and employer groups, member education also supports broader engagement goals. It helps ensure that investments in member-facing health plan tools have an opportunity to be seen, understood and considered when needed.
The focus is not on increasing utilization for the sake of utilization. The focus is helping members recognize resources that may be relevant to their situation and empowering them to take informed next steps.
Communication is an ongoing process, not a one-time event
Tool education works best when it is treated as a year-round effort.
Open enrollment provides an important starting point, but ongoing visibility helps reinforce awareness as member needs change throughout the year.
Many organizations are finding success through a combination of:
- Enrollment communications
- Educational email campaigns
- Member newsletters
- Digital content and social media
- Resource libraries and support materials
The objective is simple: provide helpful information when it is most relevant.
Health plan tools are designed to support members, but awareness is what connects those resources to real-world situations.
For brokers, communication can play an important role in helping members understand what is available, where to turn when questions arise and how to make informed decisions throughout the year.
The conversation extends beyond plan design. It also includes creating ongoing opportunities for members to learn about the resources already built into their benefits experience.