New Report Blasts 'Confusing' Medicare Search Tool

A study from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the Clear Choices Campaign found Medicare's online Medicare Plan Finder tool "is overwhelming, information is poorly presented, and the user design is potentially misleading — all of which confuses beneficiaries and can contribute to many making poor plan selections," reports Next Avenue . The NCOA also notes among the site's biggest drawbacks are that "out-of-pocket cost information is difficult to understand and provider directories are difficult to navigate." Furthermore, plan comparisons do not allow the inclusion of Medigap policies, while the site's layout and display are confusing. In addition, the language is not accessible, and the site's navigation and usability are complex and inconsistent. The unavailability of human support on the site, confusing information on health plans' quality Star Ratings, informational inaccuracy, and poor customization of plan data also are cited as shortcomings. The study authors stress that although Plan Finder does offer "a wealth of unbiased information on beneficiary costs" in a comprehensible manner, an overhaul of the comparison features and enrollment functions is "essential." Among their suggestions for improvement are the addition of a Web chat feature, prominent and precise display of costs, basing estimated out-of-pocket costs on more detailed personal information, a provider directory, the use of saved information about consumers' drugs, retooling the layout and display to augment usability and intuitive navigation, and the replacement of insurance jargon with graphics, charts, and plain language.