The Future of Supplemental Benefits, Rising Adoption of Generative AI, Potential Impact of the Presidential Election and the Emerging Focus on Member Experience – What We’re Hearing Lately from the Speaker Circuit

Belle has had the privilege of speaking at several leading industry events recently, which has also allowed us to tune in to the latest trends impacting the healthcare space, specifically within Medicare Advantage circles. In the spirit of collaboration and thought leadership, we wanted to share what we’ve heard, and what we’ve learned. Below are highlights from a handful of recent healthcare conferences focused on supplemental benefits, population health and the deployment of AI within healthcare.

>> Increased scrutiny from CMS on supplemental benefits is burdening both payers and vendors. Required encounter reporting on each supplemental benefit offered to members and mandatory mid-year notification to members regarding unused benefits are examples of new expectations being placed on health plans and their partners.

>> Member experience is taking center stage. Responding to a constrained financial environment that is marked by rate compression and effects of the Inflation Reduction Act, plans are zeroing in on core benefits that significantly impact member satisfaction and health outcomes.

>> When it comes to supplemental benefits moving forward, plans are prioritizing offerings that can meet multiple needs and perform positively in the realm of consumer choice. In other words, benefits that have a variety of value propositions for the plan and also are received positively by members will carry the day.

>> Plans are leaning into flexible allowance dollars to create personalized experiences for members, particularly in areas such as dental, hearing and vision care.

>> Experts are weighing the impact of the Presidential election on CMS Health equity initiatives, suggesting these measures may be de-prioritized and at-risk based on the outcome of the election. It is also expected that discussions about benefit additions will be slower until the 2027 cycle as plans wait to see how the new administration shakes out.

>> Health plans are actively looking to consolidate vendors, as the pendulum swings back from best of breed to one-stop shop. The bottom line is that plans need to make things easier for themselves and their members.

>> The pressure on vendors to over deliver will continue in 2025. Plans have high expectations of partners, and in some cases that means going above and beyond the initial contract terms. Vendors should be prepared to go the extra mile.

>> ROI measurement continues to be a thorny topic, particularly as plans try to isolate for the specific value created by individual vendors. Too often, payers are left with more questions than answers when it comes to the impact of programs they are investing in and delivering to members.

>> The data is in, and in-home foot care that creates opportunities for whole-person care generates significant clinical and financial outcomes for health plans. This is a benefit that checks multiple boxes, including member interest and engagement, clinical impact and financial returns.

>> The ROI on Generative AI (GenAI) across industries remains uncertain, despite an expected $500B+ investment. The juice needs to be worth the squeeze for GenAI to scale effectively, particularly within the healthcare sector. That requires careful selection and vetting of the use case. Early adoption is focusing on low-temp, high-value use cases to ensure ROI and compliance. The nature of work will shift as GenAI tools move beyond support roles to deeper integration across industries.

>> Member churn often dulls the business case for preventive care, making it harder to justify investments. GenAI solutions have the potential to bend the cost curve for certain interventions, sparking a new wave of clinical and non-clinical programs that deliver meaningful impact and drop cost.

This is just scratching the surface of the trends we’re tracking across the healthcare landscape. If you’d like to dive deeper with our team, contact us today to schedule a time to talk.