There’s a quiet revolution happening in healthcare marketing. It doesn’t start with a campaign. It starts with a crisis.
Specifically, a policy-driven one.
As Medicaid redeterminations and eligibility shifts sweep across the country, health plans and health systems are being forced to confront a hard truth: the front door to care isn’t always a clinic—it’s often a policy deadline.
And for many patients and members, that deadline closes fast.
But while some organizations brace for coverage loss and cost spikes, others are getting bold. They’re turning policy pressure into a new kind of marketing engine—one that does more than raise awareness. It rebuilds access. Renews trust. And reshapes growth.
One of the best examples? CareSource.
The Challenge: Policy Pressure Meets Real-World Complexity
CareSource is a non-profit Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) operating in multiple states, including Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, and Kentucky. With more than 2 million members—most of whom live under the federal poverty line—the stakes were high when the federal public health emergency (PHE) ended in 2023, triggering the largest Medicaid redetermination cycle in history.
For context:
- The Urban Institute projected that 18 million Americans could lose Medicaid coverage during redeterminations.
- Kaiser Family Foundation estimated that 65% of those losses would be procedural—not because people were ineligible, but because they missed paperwork deadlines or couldn’t verify employment or income status.
- In Ohio alone, more than 400,000 individuals were flagged for redetermination in the first 6 months of 2023.
This wasn’t a coverage cliff. It was a policy avalanche—and health plans were right in its path.
The Insight: If Coverage Loss Is a Marketing Problem, It Deserves a Marketing Strategy
Rather than treating redetermination as a compliance task, CareSource made a radical move:
They treated it as a marketing challenge.
And they started asking marketing questions:
How do we keep members emotionally connected to their benefits—even when the process is administrative?
What if retention wasn’t just an operational goal, but a brand loyalty metric?
Could we turn eligibility into engagement—and engagement into growth?
The answers led to a series of bold, multi-layered strategies.
The Response: CareSource’s Strategic Playbook
1. Micro-Targeted Member Communication
CareSource segmented its member population by redetermination risk, then deployed personalized, multi-channel messaging in the 90 days before and after their redetermination windows.
Tactics included:
- SMS alerts with deadline reminders
- Robocalls that connected members directly to live navigators
- Geo-targeted digital ads in high-churn zip codes
- Printed materials in multiple languages distributed through CBOs (community-based orgs)
Results:
Open rates for SMS campaigns exceeded 44%, and call-to-action conversion rose by 31% compared to previous outreach efforts.
“We stopped thinking about eligibility as a form and started thinking about it as a touchpoint.”
— VP of Marketing, CareSource
2. Navigator Partnership Deployment
Rather than hiring hundreds of full-time navigators, CareSource partnered with over 100 community organizations to embed redetermination support where people already showed up: schools, WIC offices, clinics, food banks, and even public libraries.
They provided:
- Training and scripts for eligibility support
- Tablet-based mobile enrollment stations
- Access to real-time application status dashboards
By aligning with existing trust networks, CareSource closed one of the biggest gaps in policy delivery: real-world accessibility.
3. Employer-Based Redetermination Support
Recognizing that many members worked for hourly-wage or seasonal employers, CareSource launched a pilot with five regional employers in Ohio to simplify employment verification.
How it worked:
- Employers received a pre-packaged verification form from CareSource
- HR teams signed and returned the forms in bulk
- Members didn’t have to initiate any paperwork themselves
Impact:
In just 90 days, coverage interruptions dropped by 42% in the pilot group.
4. Digital-First Retention Hubs
CareSource developed a mobile-optimized microsite called StayCovered.org, with:
- A 3-step coverage checklist
- Instant chat support
- Video explainers in English, Spanish, Somali, and Arabic
- Integration with state Medicaid portals for real-time status tracking
Within 6 months:
- 70,000+ members used the hub
- Average time on page: 4 minutes+
- Bounce rate: below 20%
5. Behavioral Nudging + UX Psychology
Instead of bureaucratic language, CareSource used emotionally resonant copy like:
- “We’ve Got You Covered.”
- “Let’s Keep Your Care Going.”
- “One Step Away From Staying Protected.”
These weren’t just taglines—they were part of a behavioral engagement strategy designed to reduce cognitive overload and increase member action.
The Results: Marketing-Led Metrics That Matter
|
Outcome |
Baseline |
Post-Strategy Impact |
|---|---|---|
|
Redetermination completion |
58% |
81% |
|
Member engagement with outreach |
~26% |
52% |
|
Coverage interruption rate |
39% |
18% |
|
Member satisfaction (CSAT) |
74 |
91 |
|
Estimated ROI |
— |
6:1 (revenue preserved vs. marketing spend) |
CareSource turned an existential risk into a growth engine—not by spending wildly, but by aligning marketing with mission.
What This Means for CMOs, Growth Officers, and Health Plan Marketers
The lesson here isn’t just about policy. It’s about how marketing is the new muscle behind operational resilience.
If your organization is navigating eligibility changes, redeterminations, Medicaid work requirements, or any other policy shift, here’s how to turn disruption into activation:
1. Treat Policy as Pipeline Pressure
Don’t silo compliance in operations. Redetermination is an enrollment event—and enrollment is a growth opportunity.
Align community outreach, member marketing, and digital engagement under one banner:
“Keep Your Care Going.”
2. Build Zip-Code Level Risk Maps
Use your claims and member data to map where risk is highest.
Look for:
- High Medicaid concentration
- Low digital access
- High ER dependency
- High churn history
Build micro-campaigns around these zones using geo-fencing, local influencer content, and on-the-ground support.
3. Activate Your Employer Network
Don’t go it alone.
- Partner with large employers, staffing agencies, and unions to verify hours
- Send pre-filled forms
- Host on-site coverage renewal days
If your members work 40 hours a week, they don’t have time for paperwork. Help them win back that time.
4. Create a Digital Destination
One central hub. One clear path.
Design a microsite or campaign landing page that:
- Speaks like a human, not a bureaucrat
- Offers real-time help (chat, text, call)
- Links directly to state Medicaid pages
Make it mobile-first. Make it empathy-first.
5. Reimagine Retention as Reputation
Every touchpoint—every text, postcard, flyer, webinar—is a moment to build trust.
The organizations that are growing under pressure aren’t just navigating policy.
They’re showing up differently for their members.
That kind of care? It’s unforgettable.
Final Word: Don’t Just Comply. Connect.
The policy landscape isn’t getting easier.
But your marketing playbook can get smarter.
When you stop seeing redetermination as paperwork—and start seeing it as a front door to deeper connection—you don’t just preserve revenue.
You elevate your brand. Strengthen trust. And build loyalty that lasts longer than any eligibility cycle.
Let’s be honest: in healthcare, trust is the ultimate growth driver.
CareSource proved it’s possible. Your plan or system can, too.
Ready to Rethink Your Growth Strategy?
We’re helping health systems and plans across the country turn policy into performance.
Schedule a 15-minute strategy session and walk away with:
- A risk zone heatmap
- Two personalized retention plays
- One campaign-ready messaging framework
Because in today’s market, cost-cutting shrinks potential.
But cost-optimized connection?
That’s how you grow.
