GiftCard Partners Blog

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and creates an enormous burden for people, communities, and healthcare providers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an American dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease. And between 2019 and 2020, heart disease cost the U.S. about $252.2 billion in health care services, medicines, and lost productivity.

Managed care organizations (MCOs) often face significant challenges in encouraging members to complete preventative health screenings. Ensuring compliance with critical screenings—such as breast cancer checks, hearing tests, and dental visits—not only improves patient outcomes but also directly impacts program success and HEDIS Star ratings. 

What if there was a powerful tool that could significantly enhance Medicare member participation and satisfaction? The 14th Medicare Star Ratings, HEDIS^®, Quality & Risk event emphasizes the critical role of both member and provider engagement. This article explores the power of gift cards as incentives to boost Medicare member engagement, providing practical solutions and real-world examples to illustrate their effectiveness. 

As of January 2022 62.8% of eligible Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This milestone is significant and essential to help protect the nation’s health. Unfortunately, studies show that vaccination rates for the low-income Medicaid population are lower than that of the general population.

Continually improving member engagement, care, and health outcomes are vital for the success of healthcare providers’ programs. Engaged members lead to reduced hospitalizations, readmissions, and improved Star Ratings. When members do not utilize plan benefits, miss appointments, and are unengaged, Star Ratings plummet resulting in a direct impact on the funding providers are able to receive. Low Star Ratings can also cause members to switch to higher star-scored healthcare plans.