Get actionable information from the leading experts on health insurance consumers and industry trends.
Since 2005, Deft Research has provided insurance carriers, agencies, consultants, and marketers with the information they need to improve their member acquisition and retention, product development, and quality ratings. With our full suite of market research services, you can gain greater clarity into the senior and commercial markets to drive better business decisions.
Access Deft’s industry-leading research and insights.
Select a quarter to explore our recent and upcoming syndicated studies and custom research solutions in the senior and commercial markets.
National MAPD/PDP Prescription Benefit Design Conjoint Study
Publishes Jan. 13, 2023 | Senior Market
With prescription drug formulary, cost, and delivery structure remaining as the dominant factors in overall selection criteria, this year’s national conjoint study will help product developers design a drug benefit that drives the most value — whether embedded in MAPD plans or as a standalone PDP offering.
Individual and Family Plan Benefit Design Conjoint Study
Publishes Jan. 17, 2023 | Commercial Market
With enhanced subsidies from the American Rescue Plan in force for at least three more cycles, carriers and consumers alike see the ACA as a long-term healthcare solution. However, the makeup of the ACA consumer has changed dramatically since its inception. More middle-income consumers have moved into IFP coverage, former Group members are now in ACA plans, and when the Public Health Emergency ends, it’s likely that millions more former Medicaid consumers will find themselves in ACA coverage. With many signs pointing to a more stable (and larger) ACA market for the foreseeable future, now is the time for carriers to understand the design nuances that may appeal to different groups of consumers.
Medicare Shopping and Switching Study
Publishes Jan. 31, 2023 | Senior Market
Over the last 15 years, our Medicare Shopping and Switching Study has been the “gold-standard” industry report for senior consumerism in the AEP. Product managers, marketers, distributors, agencies, and consultants eagerly anticipate its publication because it traditionally signifies the start of next year’s decision-making.
Local Market Medicare OEP and Disenrollment Prevention Study
Order By Feb. 15, 2023 | Local Market SMIS
Quality enrollment and tenure are more important to carrier financial performance than ever before. In this study, we help all industry stakeholders better understand the chronological order of touchpoints and events that will provide the best chances for driving enduring membership.
Individual and Family Plan Shopping and Switching Study
Publishes Feb. 28, 2023 | Commercial Market
The 14.5 million ACA consumer total from 2022 may rise this year as new carrier participants hit the market, renewed subsidies come into effect, and federal spending is in play for these individual market plans. This study examines the traditional OEP enrollment period, the channels that best connected with consumers, how these individuals shopped for coverage, and how they chose to enroll for 2023.
MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker
End of February | Packaged Services SMIS
The MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker is an Excel deliverable that will show at the national, state, and county level how all MA contracts are growing on a quarterly basis both through visual mapping technology as well as through raw enrollment counts and percentages. Free up internal resources and rely on Deft’s expertise to provide this universally needed data that is packaged in an easy-to-use format. Our MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker will assist all levels of management with goal setting and strategic planning.
Dual Eligible Acquisition Study
Publishes Mar. 30, 2023 | Senior Market
Today, the DSNP and MMP market is almost five million strong. And with another six million in straight Medicaid and another nine million beneficiaries close to Medicaid status, the Dual Eligible market is poised for long-term growth. Our study is the industry guidebook for carriers who want to best service this rapidly growing senior segment.
Employee Group Insurance Study
Publishes After Apr. 1, 2023 | Packaged Services CMIS
For 2023, Deft will offer this study based on our historical survey template and allow for some client customization. We will survey employees within your service area to understand how they feel about their Group coverage, how willing they are to move to virtual-first plans, which benefits they would like to see expanded, which cost share structure they most prefer, and which health and wellness services they value most.
Medicare Market Assessment
Publishes in Mid-April | Packaged Services SMIS
To understand the total available market for your Medicare products, you must first understand the proportion of consumers that are truly “in play" across the entire spectrum of Medicare products. Our market assessments illuminate these opportunities using both mapping technology and raw data to model the complete MA, MAO, PDP, OMO, TriCare, Group Retiree and MedSupp totals down to the county level. The result is a detailed assessment that empowers marketers and strategic planners to properly invest in sales efforts today — and look for areas where they can expand tomorrow.
Medicare Open Enrollment Period and Disenrollment Prevention Study
Publishes Apr. 27, 2023 | Senior Market
Quality enrollment and tenure are more important to carrier financial performance than ever before. In this study, we help all industry stakeholders better understand the chronological order of touchpoints and events that will provide the best chances for driving enduring membership.
Message Testing
Publishes Spring 2023 | Packaged and Custom
The amount of resources that Medicare carriers invest in marketing each year is enormous. But how many of those dollars are directed toward messages, imagery and reasons-to-believe that actually connect with seniors? Before you commit your marketing budget to a campaign, ensure your fall or NTM marketing resonates with your prospects’ needs. Our Message Testing Service will study and evaluate your concepts by actually testing them with prospects in your service area.
MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker
End of May | Packaged Services SMIS
The MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker is an Excel deliverable that will show at the national, state, and county level how all MA contracts are growing on a quarterly basis both through visual mapping technology as well as through raw enrollment counts and percentages. Free up internal resources and rely on Deft’s expertise to provide this universally needed data that is packaged in an easy-to-use format. Our MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker will assist all levels of management with goal setting and strategic planning.
Medicare Age-In Study
Publishes May 31, 2023 | Senior Market
Employer Group Retiree plans are on the decline. Plus, recent AEP switching has generally hovered at 12% or less. As a result, it’s become more important than ever to engage consumers at or around age 65 who are transitioning from Commercial to Medicare coverage. Our Medicare Age-In Study helps industry insiders understand the ideal cadence of touchpoints, messaging themes, and enrollment preferences that today’s Boomer seeks when considering Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage coverage for the first time.
Duals Market Assessment
End of May | Packaged Services SMIS
To understand the total available market for your low-income Medicare products, you must understand where greater concentrations of such members live, how many are considered LIS today, and what the current DSNP/ MMP count is before you can focus marketing, sales, and expansion efforts against this rapidly growing segment of the senior population.
Local Market AEP Gut Check Study
Order by Jun. 1, 2023 | Local Market SMIS
There’s a lot of planning that goes into AEP preparation during the winter and spring months, but it’s not enough if marketers and sales managers don’t “take the temperature” of seniors before executing their AEP strategy. Our AEP Gut Check Study allows them to do just that by acting as a “Pre-AEP” report for the 2024 benefit year.
Dual Eligible Retention Study
Publishes Jun. 29, 2023 | Senior Market
The growth explosion in the DSNP space is tempered only by the frustration associated with members who can (and do) switch throughout the course of the year. Holding onto these members is more challenging than maintaining those outside of the Dual Eligible space. In this, its first year, our Dual Eligible Retention Study chronicles the experiences that provide the best chances for long-term membership. It also tackles the services and benefits correlated with consumers who face hardships associated with Social Determinants of Health (SDoH).
Age-In Market Assessment
Publishes End of June | Packaged Services SMIS
To understand what “tomorrow” will look like in your current service area, or in counties or states that you are considering for expansion, taking a deep dive into the demographics of consumers aged 60 to 65 is paramount. Our Age-In Market Assessment will show the current coverage of these future beneficiaries, their concentration, and likely future plan counts so that marketers, sales professionals, and operations managers can properly assess strategy over the medium-term.
AEP Gut Check Study
Publishes Jul. 27, 2023 | Senior Market
In just its first three years, our national version of the AEP Gut Check Study has become an industry favorite. This year we’re offering a localized version so you can better understand how service area prospects may behave in the AEP.
Medicare Digital Tools Study
Publishes Aug. 31, 2023 | Senior Market
Carriers, agencies, and consultants must focus on engaging healthcare consumers digitally as all stakeholders seek to reduce costs, improve care, and broaden access. By harnessing the full power of digital tools, they can more fully reach these very connected Boomers.
MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker
End of August | Packaged Services SMIS
The MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker is an Excel deliverable that will show at the national, state, and county level how all MA contracts are growing on a quarterly basis both through visual mapping technology as well as through raw enrollment counts and percentages. Free up internal resources and rely on Deft’s expertise to provide this universally needed data that is packaged in an easy-to-use format. Our MA Quarterly Plan Growth Tracker will assist all levels of management with goal setting and strategic planning.
Local Market Medicare Member Experience Study
Order by Sept. 1, 2023 | Local Market SMIS
In this 2023 study, we expand on themes from 2022’s Health Equity and Tomorrow’s Medicare Beneficiaries Study. We help stakeholders understand the specific touchpoints that set up seniors to renew coverage — as well as those that motivate them to disenroll. We also examine how various experiences are associated with higher and lower CAHPS scores, as well as advise carriers and agencies how to better engineer member communications and customer service for higher scores during out years.
Individual and Family Plan Digital Tools Study
Publishes Sept. 28, 2023 | Commercial Market
Health insurance that is built for digital exchanges means coverage, service, and healthcare must also be focused on digital delivery. This study examines all aspects of digital healthcare to include online shopping (public and private exchanges), portal management, e-brokers, virtual care, and virtual-first plans.
Local Market Individual and Family Plan Member Experience Study
Order by Oct. 1, 2023 | Local Market CMIS
Greater competition in the ACA market means that consumers are no longer “stuck with” the few carriers that participate. The average state has at least six carriers now, meaning all on-exchange participants must focus on retention more than ever. This study will identify the experiences that either inflate or depress loyalty so that carriers can hold onto ACA members like Medicare carriers do today.
Medicare Member Experience Study
Publishes Oct. 31, 2023 | Senior Market
Over the last 15 years, our Medicare Shopping and Switching Study has been the “gold-standard” industry report for senior consumerism in the AEP. Product managers, marketers, distributors, agencies, and consultants eagerly anticipate its publication because it traditionally signifies the start of next year’s decision-making.
Individual and Family Plan Member Experience Study
Publishes Nov. 30, 2023 | Commercial Market
Greater competition in the ACA market means that consumers are no longer “stuck with” the few carriers that participate. The average state has at least six carriers now, meaning all on-exchange participants must focus on retention more than ever. This study will identify the experiences that either inflate or depress loyalty so that carriers can hold onto ACA members like Medicare carriers do today.
Local Market Medicare Shopping and Switching Study
Order by Dec. 20, 2023 | Local Market SMIS
Over the last 15 years, our Medicare Shopping and Switching Study has been the “gold-standard” industry report for senior consumerism in the AEP. Product managers, marketers, distributors, agencies, and consultants eagerly anticipate its publication because it traditionally signifies the start of next year’s decision-making.
Local Market Individual and Family Plan Shopping and Switching
Order by Dec. 20, 2023 | Local Market CMIS
The 14.5 million ACA consumer total from 2022 may rise this year as new carrier participants hit the market, renewed subsidies come into effect, and federal spending is in play for these individual market plans. This study examines the traditional OEP enrollment period, the channels that best connected with consumers, how these individuals shopped for coverage, and how they chose to enroll for 2023.
Watch the presentation with Deft on Demand.
Let Deft’s leading experts walk you, step by step, through our most timely and respected studies in the senior health insurance market. Access the presentation video and Executive Research Briefs when you purchase any of these 2022 studies:
- Medicare Shopping and Switching Study
- Dual Eligible Study
- OEP and Disenrollment Prevention Study
- Medicare Age-In Study
- AEP Gut Check Study
Research and Market Intelligence Offerings
Senior Market Insights Service
Our acquisition- and experience-focused Senior Market Insights Service (SMIS) reports have become the industry standard for anyone developing, marketing, or selling within the senior health insurance product landscape. Discover how SMIS can help you meet your objectives.
Commercial Market Insights Service
Our Commercial Market Insights Service (CMIS) reports focus on consumers in non-government health insurance programs. Our in-depth reports identify ACA market trends and provide timely, actionable insights to help you make critical business decisions.
Packaged and Custom Research
In addition to fully customized studies, Deft also offers packaged research solutions that allow a degree of customized research to be added to our industry-leading syndicated studies. With both packaged and custom research, you can optimize your product design, retain members, quantify market opportunities, and help your marketing dollars go further. Make better-informed, bolder decisions with packaged research or a custom study that helps reduce uncertainty and financial risk. Packaged research options include:
- List Scoring Service
- CAHPS and NPS Diagnostic and Tracking Services
- Product Design and Attribute Studies
- Medicare Market Assessment Service
- Message and Ad Testing
Explore Our Blog
Navigating Medicare Disruption
In August of this year, the U.S. Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which promises to lower costs and improve outcomes for American seniors. Beginning in 2026, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will choose a selection from the most expensive Part D drugs each year to come under negotiated price restrictions. Other changes are pending.