PROBLEM

Consumers face a new era of healthcare, where they must shop around, sometimes without the guidance of their doctor. They’ve never had to do this before and they need help.

PROCESS

Co-design with UHC’s insurance analysts, digital team, and consumers an online experience to help members shop for healthcare.

SOLUTION

A healthcare cost estimator, which positions the tool as a step to take before choosing a provider, that educates about variable costs and quality of providers.

OUTCOME

One step closer to empowering members with a consumer-driven healthcare tool, that saw an increase in tool usage and estimate completion.

Putting control of healthcare costs into the hands of consumers.

Cost and quality of care can vary widely.

With an extensive knowledge base of physicians and facilities, United Healthcare helps it's members find the right care for them.

UHC is the largest health insurance provider in the United States, with 70 million health insurance members, who now have access to the healthcare cost estimation and comparison tool.

Usability Test Learning #1

Understanding the tool

Most test participants were unfamiliar with the concept of using an online tool to calculate healthcare costs. Most rely on the recommendations of their physicians to make decisions.

Usability Test Learning #2

Tool purpose: Estimating vs physician search and selection

Many participants spent the bulk of their time during the care path configuration process selecting physicians and facilities; therefore they understood the tool to be a physician finder/selector. This got in the way of focusing on a cost estimate. And prevented some participants from feeling like it was a quick and easy process.

Usability Test Learning #3

Progression and differentiation of steps

Many participants did not realize they were moving from step 1 to 2, mainly due to the similar page layout.

Usability Test Learning #1

Select Physician vs View Profile

The ‘Select Physician’ button was often clicked when the user intended to view more information (the profile). This is likely due to the visual dominance of the button versus the text link. When this button returned users to their estimate page instead of displaying more information they were left confused.

Usability Test Learning #2

Provide more clarity and transparency round ‘Your’ costs

Participants were confused about the costs listed under the “Your Out-of-Pocket Cost” column. They were unclear why some costs were single digits and some were ranges. They were unclear how the costs were the way they were. Add more contextual information around costs (e.g. Co-pay, fully-covered, deductible etc.)