For patients 65 years of age and older, Medicare will influence most of their healthcare decisions. Unfortunately, the original Medicare plan may have coverage gaps that opt for people to steer away from making the best decision for their health.
This is one of the leading reasons so many people choose the private Medicare Advantage plan when they reach their 65th birthday or during AEP (annual election period) or open enrollment. By doing this, they can fill in the gaps and prevent a serious procedure from leading to financial issues.
When you create a smart Medicare Advantage marketing plan, you can reach patients at all stages of the process. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to do this ethically and effectively. If you are working to gain more customers and effectively sell the Medicare Advantage plan, use the tips and information found here.
Medicare Advantage Marketing to Existing Patients
Providers need to make sure they are neutral regarding the selection process for a Medicare plan. However, while this is true, you still need to make sure they know what options are available to them to ensure they make the proper decisions regarding their health. There are several ways that you can reach out to a patient who may be thinking about the Medicare Advantage plan. These include:
- Targeted emails and mail for patients over the age of 65
- Reminders for existing patients during the open enrollment period
- Posters around your office
- Informational social media posts and blogs
- Referrals for patients to an informational page that is on your website that features a lead capture form
- Partnering up with a plan sponsor to create events out of the office or in a common entryway, offering promotional or educational materials
Medicare Advantage Marketing to Potential New Customers
Having the ability to reach possible patients can be somewhat tricky, after all, they receive quite a few informational brochures, emails, and mailers during the open enrollment period and when they reach the age of 65. However, if you have the right plan in place, you will be able to reach future patients, too, by using these measures:
- Social media ads and Facebook ads
- Mailers to individuals who are turning 65
- Retargeting and the use of pay-per-click ads
- Community events
- Hospital newsletters
Remember, there are more than a few seniors who have family members making all of their healthcare decisions, so you should not rule out of social media and digital media advertising as a way to reach these important decision-makers.
Marketing to New Patients During the AEP Period
Patients have the option to change the plans they have during the Annual Election Period each year. This is the time when you can reach out to all of the seniors in your area who may be thinking about changing the Medicare plans they have. You can reach out to them in several ways:
- Targeted mail
- Broadcast radio and TV
- Pay-per-click along with display ads online
- Print advertisements
It is helpful to have information readily available on your existing website to ensure your patients can make the best decision and to help bring more Medicare Advantage Plan patients to the door. However, what can you do to ensure you are doing this in an effective and ethical manner.
Follow These Guidelines for Medicare Marketing
There are very strict marketing guidelines in place established by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for providers and sponsors. For example, any event that is used to promote a specific plan has to be labeled as a marketing/sales event instead of an educational event. Also, sponsors are not allowed to promote a plan in a healthcare setting unless it is some type of shared space.
When it comes to marketing various Medicare plans, there are more than a few factors that must be considered. Be sure to keep the information here in mind to ensure that the rules are followed and that there are no serious issues experienced during this process. (Stromectol) Being informed is the best way to ensure that your marketing efforts are effective and that they provide a potential customer with the information needed to make an informed decision.
