United Healthcare
Winning a Competitive AEP with Digital-First Precision
BY THE NUMBERS
%
increase in call volume
%
increase in leads
%
increase in submitted applications
%
reduction in marketing budget vs. previous year
The Situation
In one of the most competitive Medicare Advantage markets in the U.S., UnitedHealthcare’s Southern Florida plans faced major headwinds entering the 2025 Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). Budgets were cut by 40%, CMS approval delays pushed the campaign launch weeks past competitors, and Humana and Aetna were aggressively competing for share. UHC needed to overcome both late entry and limited spend to drive growth in a shrinking window.
The Approach
ab+a partnered closely with UHC’s Direct to Consumer sales team to ground the strategy in frontline realities. The message platform focused on three imperatives: choice, personalization, and trust.
Key actions included:
- SEO and SEM plan highlighting personalization of plans and reaffirming trust signals.
- Custom landing pages tailored to consumer needs and concerns.
- Smart digital media buying: stretching a smaller budget through precise targeting and optimization.
- Sales funnel alignment: messaging and calls-to-action designed to drive confidence and trigger outreach to sales teams.
The Results
Despite a smaller budget and later start, digital performance far exceeded expectations:
- 77% increase in call volume year over year.
- 143% growth in leads generated.
- 220% increase in submitted applications.
- Digital carried the season, offsetting sharp declines in non-digital media impressions and clicks.
Savvy targeting and resonant messaging more than doubled—and in some campaigns tripled—conversion rates versus prior years.
We were up against major competitors, tighter budgets, and a late start. ab+a’s digital-first approach turned those disadvantages into a win—delivering more leads, more calls, and more applications than we thought possible.
UHC Regional Marketing Executive
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