ACA Marketplace Plan View
Overview
This project involved redesigning the Ascend Medicare and ACA Marketplace Sales and Enrollment platform to create a streamlined, consumer-focused experience for users reviewing their medical preferences and selecting a health plan. Building on Ascend's existing Medicare design and codebase, the initiative aimed to create a unified platform that could serve both Medicare and ACA Marketplace users while meeting CMS compliance requirements. Key objectives included simplifying navigation, organizing plan information to reduce cognitive load, and introducing an enhanced comparison tool to support informed decision-making. By implementing a modular design framework, the platform could adapt to distinct regulatory needs and support future updates seamlessly. Despite challenges such as financial constraints and the complexity of merging requirements across different health insurance markets, the project established a user-friendly, scalable foundation that aligned with Ascend’s modernization goals, enhancing usability and positioning the platform for future growth in the insurance enrollment space.
Project Details
Team
Data Architect • Development Lead • Security Lead • Product Manager (my role) • Product Designer (my role)
Duration
Twelve weeks from kickoff to Medicare implementation.
Tools
Figma • FigJam • Confluence • Jira
Case Study
Business Problem
Ascend's Medicare Sales and Enrollment platform required a redesign to create a consumer-centered journey that would streamline the process of reviewing and confirming medical preferences before selecting a health plan. With the team expanding to include an ACA Marketplace enrollment platform, the aim was to build on Ascend's existing Medicare design and codebase, creating a unified experience across both platforms under the Ascend brand. While Medicare and ACA Marketplace enrollment requirements differ, both share key functionalities related to healthcare preference review and plan selection. This project became part of a larger modernization effort, drawing on insights from past projects to create a more flexible, adaptable, and CMS-compliant design.
The primary objective was to deliver an intuitive, CMS-compliant experience that allowed users to make informed health plan choices based on their preferences. However, several challenges in the existing design called for a modernized approach:
Complex Navigation: Users were required to input and review multiple preferences—such as primary care physicians, pharmacies, and medications—before viewing available plans. This rigid, linear navigation did not account for returning users who may only need to confirm or adjust a few details, adding unnecessary steps for all users.
Overwhelming Information: Plan details were presented in a single view, displaying all information at once. This overwhelmed users, especially those comparing plans, making it challenging to focus on key factors.
Limited Comparison Features: Users needed a more intuitive way to compare plan options based on premium costs, deductibles, and coverage benefits. The existing setup lacked streamlined comparison functionality, complicating decision-making for consumers.
The platform needed a CMS-compliant, user-centered design that made it easier for users to navigate, reduced cognitive load, and allowed for clear plan comparisons. The new solution would improve user satisfaction and support both Medicare and ACA Marketplace users on the Ascend platform, aligning with the company's broader strategic goals.
Solution
To address these challenges, we designed an enhanced, adaptable consumer enrollment experience that focused on simplifying navigation, displaying manageable information, and enhancing comparison features while ensuring CMS compliance. Our approach provided a modular, intuitive interface that could seamlessly serve both Medicare and ACA Marketplace users.
Flexible Navigation: We streamlined the input and review steps, enabling returning users to bypass previously confirmed preferences. This flexibility allowed new users to input comprehensive details while letting returning users make quick adjustments before accessing their plan options. Navigation was redesigned into an organized, step-by-step format that was intuitive and reduced user friction.
Layered Information Display: To reduce cognitive overload, plan details were organized into layered sections, with essential information displayed upfront and additional details available as needed. This approach allowed users to focus on critical attributes first, such as premiums and deductibles, supporting a more straightforward and less overwhelming comparison process.
Enhanced Plan Comparison Tool: A side-by-side plan comparison feature allowed users to view multiple plans with relevant metrics like premium costs, deductibles, and plan ratings. This streamlined the decision-making process, providing a user-friendly experience that simplified plan evaluation.
Modular, Scalable Design: We developed a modular design framework with flexible plan card templates and expandable information trays. This allowed the platform to adapt to different regulatory requirements and user needs without duplicating code, making it efficient to maintain and update across both Medicare and ACA Marketplace platforms.
The redesigned platform created a compliant, seamless experience for both Medicare and ACA Marketplace users, enhancing usability and satisfaction while enabling informed health plan selection.
Business Strategy
The business strategy for the enhanced Ascend Medicare and ACA Marketplace platform focused on improving user engagement, supporting compliance, and positioning Ascend as a leader in the insurance enrollment space.
User-Centered Design for Engagement: By simplifying navigation and improving plan comparison options, the redesign aimed to increase user engagement and reduce drop-offs, promoting higher enrollment completion rates.
Scalability and Modular Design: The adaptable design framework allowed for flexible adjustments to accommodate future ACA and CMS changes, ensuring long-term scalability without major platform overhauls.
Competitive Differentiation: By creating a streamlined, user-friendly, and compliant experience, Ascend positioned itself as a forward-thinking partner in the health insurance industry, appealing to carriers and brokers who prioritize clear, effective enrollment processes.
Experience Drivers
Streamlined Navigation: Flexible paths catered to both new and returning users, reducing friction and simplifying the enrollment process.
Layered Information Display: Essential details were prioritized, with additional information available only when needed, reducing cognitive load.
Enhanced Comparison Features: The plan comparison tool enabled users to evaluate options side-by-side, facilitating informed decisions.
Cross-Platform Modularity: The adaptable design provided a consistent user experience across Medicare and ACA Marketplace platforms, promoting ease of use for all users.
Metrics
To measure the success of the redesigned ACA Marketplace and Medicare enrollment experience, we established the following KPIs:
Reduced Drop-Off Rate During Preference Review
KPI: Decrease drop-offs by 30% during the preference review phase, indicating an improvement in user flow and navigation ease.
Increased Enrollment Completion Rate
KPI: Boost enrollment completion rates by 25%, driven by streamlined navigation, enhanced comparison features, and a simplified data display.
Enhanced User Satisfaction
KPI: Achieve a 90% user satisfaction rate through post-enrollment surveys, focusing on ease of navigation, plan comparison functionality, and CMS compliance.
Design Process
Discovery Phase
The Discovery phase helped us identify user pain points and compliance requirements for ACA Marketplace and Medicare environments. Key activities included:
User Interviews and Stakeholder Discussions: We spoke with internal support staff, customer success representatives, and stakeholders to understand pain points and carrier needs for flexibility and structure.
CMS Compliance Review: We analyzed CMS documentation to understand data collection requirements and mandatory information displays.
Competitive Analysis: Evaluating competitors’ platforms helped us identify best practices in preference management, plan comparison, and CMS-compliant workflows. We found that competitors faced similar challenges, particularly with information overload.
Ideate Phase
Using Discovery insights, we conducted ideation workshops to balance user needs with compliance requirements.
Card Sorting Workshop: Limited access to end users led us to use call center agents in a card sorting exercise to understand information grouping preferences, helping us prioritize content display.
User Journey Mapping: A journey mapping workshop highlighted areas for intuitive, layered information display and flexible navigation paths for the user’s selection and enrollment journey.
Create Phase
In the Create phase, designers and developers focused on building and testing a modular, CMS-compliant platform that could serve both Medicare and ACA Marketplace users.
Prototyping and Usability Testing: Interactive prototypes were tested with in-house staff, and feedback was gathered on navigation, compliance, and comparison features. This informed layout refinements, especially around the visibility of key CTAs.
Technical Integration: We collaborated with data architects and developers to create a modular design that allowed easy adaptations for future changes across both platforms.
Feedback Loops: Continuous feedback sessions with internal teams refined the design, ensuring the platform met both user needs and compliance standards.
Evaluate Phase
Continuous evaluation ensured a compliant, user-friendly experience for both ACA and Medicare users.
Usability Testing and User Feedback: Testing with QA staff and stakeholders confirmed the design's intuitiveness and alignment with user expectations.
Post-Launch Analytics and Monitoring: We tracked drop-off rates and enrollment completion, making necessary adjustments based on Medicare version data.
User Satisfaction Survey: A post-enrollment satisfaction survey from a carrier indicated that while changes were helpful, additional work was needed for the plan comparison features on the Medicare platform.
Challenges
Balancing CMS Compliance and Usability: Integrating complex CMS requirements with a user-centered design required thoughtful balance and clear prioritization.
Flexible Navigation: Adapting the rigid preference review flow to support returning users and new users alike was challenging, but journey mapping and iterative design highlighted essential areas for improvement.
Scalability Across Platforms: Designing a flexible framework to serve both Medicare and ACA Marketplace platforms was essential. A modular approach allowed for consistency and adaptability to future updates.
Due to financial constraints and political uncertainty surrounding the ACA program, funding was withdrawn from the project before completion. Although we managed to continue work, citing the benefits to the Medicare platform, this accelerated timeline meant some usability testing was cut short, impacting our ability to address all issues fully. Despite these challenges, the platform saw significant improvements, providing a scalable foundation for future updates.
