Machine-based recommendations can help seniors choose Medicare plans, study finds

An online patient-centered decision-support tool that gives Medicare plan members personalized advice can help them choose coverage, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

Three things to know:

1. For the study, researchers conducted a trial to determine whether providing older adults with internet-based plan selection support tools helped them choose Medicare Part D prescription drug plans for 2017.

2. By providing members an online selection tool, older adults' satisfaction was increased and so was the amount of time they spent selecting a plan. Additionally, researchers found that personalized advice upped members' rates of switching plans.

3. "Our study demonstrates that there is a population of older adults who are receptive to online decision-support tools for health insurance," the authors concluded. "These seniors benefit from machine-based expert recommendations when they are combined with a patient-centered decision-support tool. Different approaches, however, may be necessary to design interventions that are effective for consumers who are less engaged in decision-making."

For the full study, click here.

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