2027 Medicare Member Experience Study

Overview

This 2027 study helps carriers and agencies understand the touchpoints that set seniors up to renew, and the ones that push them toward disenrollment. It also examines how different experiences are associated with higher and lower CAHPS scores, so you know where to focus member communications and customer service in the year ahead.

This year, we went deeper in two areas. One is the single most influential event members recall since the start of the year: the type of experience, how it was resolved, and how it shaped their view of their insurer. The other is members’ experiences with, and appetite for, programs tailored to their conditions and health needs.

This study shows what members want and expect leading up to and during the AEP. Our Onboarding study, releasing in April, shows how carriers are doing once those members are in the plan and what they need to address.

*Local Market Add-On – Available for this study!

Our local market oversample studies show how beneficiaries in specific service areas uniquely behave compared to the national data, providing plan managers with deeper insight for nuanced product, marketing, and sales needs.

What's Inside the Study

This study shows MA and MedSupp carriers how to improve coverage experiences in ways that strengthen retention and CAHPS/Star ratings. It identifies the touchpoints that set members up to renew, and the ones that push them toward disenrollment. It also examines how different experiences correlate with higher and lower CAHPS scores, so carriers and agencies know where to focus member communications and customer service in the year ahead.

Most influential experiences. Shows which experiences most shape members’ perceptions of their coverage.
Common pain points. Identifies the pain points members encounter most often across network, cost, coverage, and customer service.

What’s New

The defining moment. Takes a closer look at the single most influential event members recall since the start of the year: the type of experience, how it was resolved, and how it shaped their view of their insurer.
Condition-specific programs. Examines members’ experiences with, and appetite for, programs tailored to their conditions and health needs.

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Explore Last Year’s Insights

2025 Medicare Member Experience Study SIP

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Insights from the 2025 Report

Record Declines and Switching in Medicare Plans Following 2025 ANOCs

Net Promoter Scores (NPS2) for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Supplement (MedSupp) plans dropped sharply in 2025—by 9 and 10 points, the largest annual declines Deft Research has recorded. The 2025 Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) triggered this drop: 16% of non-SNP MA members switched plans voluntarily during AEP, and another 6% were forced to switch. Fewer than 60% of seniors remembered receiving their ANOC, and many misunderstood benefit changes, even after reviewing documents or speaking with agents. Most only realized changes when they used their coverage, resulting in unexpected costs or gaps.

This confusion drove a record 15% switching rate during OEP, and by the 2026 AEP, 21% of MA seniors were dissatisfied and considering switching — marking three consecutive records for MA switching in under a year, all from a single disruptive AEP.

Watch a Segment of the 2025 Presentation

5-Minute Take: 2025 Medicare Member Experience Study

To learn how you can access the presentation’s complete video, please visit our Deft on Demand page.

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