AEP Signals and Readiness Study (formerly the AEP Gut Check Study)
Available: July 15, 2026
Available: July 15, 2026
Our AEP Gut Check Study acts as a “Pre-AEP” report to ensure you’re pointed in the right direction before rolling out your strategy. We assess seniors’ pain points, service failures, and plan experiences so carriers can make last-minute adjustments to their marketing and design efforts, even after benchmarks are released.
For four years, the AEP Gut Check Study has helped predict seniors’ final switch rates for the upcoming AEP, making it indispensable for carriers, agencies, and consultants, allowing them to make early adjustments in marketing and sales strategies.
The study also guides product managers in making informed rebate reallocation decisions, ensuring benefit changes are well planned.
Declining MA Loyalty and Rising Switch Rates
Since June 2022, Medicare Advantage (MA) member loyalty has steadily dropped, leading to more members considering switching plans during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). After last year’s significant benefit reductions and plan eliminations, this trend accelerated: MA loyalty declined by 6%, while the percentage of members at risk of switching grew by 4%.
The last AEP experienced the largest single-year increase in MA switching observed by Deft — 23%, up from 16% in 2024 and 12% in 2022. With more new members who are harder to retain, and a strong link between midyear loyalty and AEP switching, this fall’s AEP is expected to be highly active.