Payers in the Consumer Health Era: Strategies for Engagement and Trust

The healthcare industry is increasingly shifting towards a consumer-centric model, raising the question of how payers can effectively integrate into this evolving landscape.

This was the focus of a recent panel discussion at the MedCity INVEST Digital Health Conference in Dallas, moderated by Brian Whorley, CEO of Paytient, a company specializing in health payment accounts for employers and health plans.

One panelist, Rosemary Gammon, principal consultant at CMR Healthcare Consultants, highlighted the challenge of disparate medical policies across health plans. “CMS, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield—each has its own guidelines, making it complex for providers to align with expectations. This requires deep digging, especially with new medical innovations,” she noted.

Erica Murdock, managing partner of Unseen Capital by Seae Ventures, stressed the importance of building trust with patients. “Payers often focus on financial aspects, but if members don’t trust new products or platforms, adoption will fail. Trust is crucial for payers to remain relevant beyond mere transaction processing,” she said.

Michelle Wang, investor at Wavemaker 360, envisioned payers supporting patients’ entire health journeys. “Ideal payers would engage not just high-cost patients but also those who can benefit from proactive care. Engagement is key, followed by guiding members to value-based, lower-cost care options tied to outcomes,” she commented.

Magda Lenartowicz, chief medical and innovation officer at Clever Care, a Medicare Advantage insurance company based in California, echoed the need to address healthcare fragmentation. “Older adults have varying levels of digital comfort. We must simplify access to multiple apps and tools for different conditions,” she explained.

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