Healthcare more broadly has been focused on reaching consumers where they are at. Health systems have established virtual care partnerships, and prescription drugs are now more accessible via direct-to-consumer pathways.
But health insurers have also been developing strategies to reach members more directly, such as through transparent pricing and shifts in product offerings.
Here are five ways payers are thinking about direct-to-consumer initiatives:
1. CMS finalized 2026 marketplace rules, which included bolstering its authority to issue enforcement actions against brokers and agents. This may open the door for insurers to strengthen their own direct-to-consumer enrollment channels.
2. Sidecar Health rolled out upfront pricing for most physician visits in March. This follows the insurer’s addition of provider quality scores, so members could compare and make informed decisions before booking appointments.
3. While President Donald Trump’s proposal to send healthcare dollars directly to consumers has not been fully fleshed out, Sidecar’s chief marketing officer, Kevin Knight, told Becker’s that consumers need stronger, transparent data to make mechanisms, such as health savings accounts, effective. He acknowledged the industrywide “direct-to-consumer” movement, as well.
4. Individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements have been one means gaining traction, giving employees more choice over their coverage. While there is still some resistance, Alan Silver, president of Centene’s ICHRA business, said more than just small employers are adopting this approach.
5. Health plans have been harnessing AI to engage consumers more directly. Virtual assistants and chatbots have picked up steam across the major insurers.
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