Adapt to CMS Standards and Improve Star Ratings with Digital Care Management

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has raised performance benchmarks for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plans, raising the bar for achieving high Star Ratings. By excluding the lowest-performing plans from calculations, CMS has effectively raised the “cut points,” meaning that health plans must improve their performance across multiple measures to attain or sustain a 4+ Star Rating each year.

Adjustments to the 2025 CMS Star Ratings

Due to annual adjustments to CMS Star Ratings, health plans are operating in an increasingly competitive environment and must elevate their overall performance to succeed. Examples of the impact of the 2025 Star Ratings include:

  • Decline in High-Rated Plans. In 2025, only 40% of MA plans with drug coverage earned four stars or higher, compared to 42% in 2024. Yet, when weighted by enrollment, about 62% of Medicare Advantage-Prescription Drug (MA-PD) enrollees are in plans with four or more stars, a drop from 74% the previous year.
  • Fewer 5-Star Plans. Only seven contracts received a 5-star rating in 2025, down from 38 in 2024. This signals a dramatic shift for some health plans, potentially affecting new member enrollment and CMS payments.

The decline in quality ratings reflects that CMS continues to focus on improving overall healthcare quality rather than measuring the advances of individual health plans.

Implications of CMS Star Rating Changes for Health Plans

The 2025 Star Ratings pose several challenges for health plans:

  • Difficulty and Volatility to Achieve High Star Ratings. Over 60% of cut points have risen, which means plans must improve performance across many measures to maintain ratings.
  • Reduced Bonus Payments. Fewer plans are expected to achieve 4+ stars, limiting bonus payments and potentially funds for supplemental benefits, which are important for attracting and retaining members.
  • More Focus on Member Experience and Care Management Quality. With increased emphasis on member service, access, and medication adherence, plans need more robust digital engagement and personalized care to enhance outcomes.
  • Need for Real-Time Adjustments. Ongoing regulatory changes demand real-time analytics to identify care gaps and adjust strategies quickly.
  • Competitive Landscape. Stricter standards may prompt members to switch to higher-rated plans, complicating the member retention efforts of health plans.

How GuidingCare® and Wellframe™ Support Star Rating Improvement

Health plans can enhance Star Ratings by focusing on improving member engagement and streamlining care management to improve the quality of care. By adopting next-generation digital solutions, health plans can improve performance through exceptional care coordination, personalized member outreach, and data-driven insights that directly address key Star Rating measures.

Care-Wellframe is an integrated solution that combines HealthEdge’s care management platform, GuidingCare, with the Wellframe digital member experience platform to transform how health plans serve their members. The following are key ways that the integrated Care-Wellframe solution helps health plans elevate performance:

Enhanced Member Engagement

  • Personalized Digital Care:Wellframe’s mobile-first programs and daily checklists improve member engagement, satisfaction, and outcomes, which are vital to Star Ratings. By providing reminders and self-service content tailored to individual needs, Wellframe enhances engagement.
  • Medication Adherence: Wellframe’s tools include medication reminders, improving adherence which directly impacts Star Ratings.
  • Access to Care: Digital communication channels reduce barriers to quick intervention and enhance member satisfaction by enabling seamless access to care teams.

Streamlined Care Management and Coordination

  • Efficient Workflows: Care-Wellframe centralizes member data to enable seamless coordination and reduce administrative burdens.
  • Automated Processes: GuidingCare supports care teams by streamlining caseload management, assisting with adherence to CMS requirements, and facilitating consistent follow-ups with members.
  • Integrated Communication: Care-Wellframe enables seamless communication among members, care teams, and providers. This facilitates proactive management of high-risk conditions, screenings, and overall care quality.
  • Holistic Care Management: By integrating physical, behavioral, and social determinants of health (SDOH) data, Care-Wellframe provides a comprehensive view of member needs, supporting coordinated, whole-person care.

Continuous Quality Improvement

  • Real-time Analytics: Care-Wellframe offers advanced analytics that help health plans track compliance and close care gaps.
  • Predictive Tools: The solution’s predictive capabilities help identify high-risk members and prioritize interventions, helping care teams take the right actions to improve compliance with care plans and achieve better outcomes.

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Digital care management supports improved member experiences,

better outcomes, and high Star Ratings.

With CMS raising the bar for Star Ratings, health plans need comprehensive, adaptive solutions to stay competitive. Leveraging Care-Wellframe’s next-generation capabilities enables health plans to continuously improve member care and engagement, putting plans in the best position to thrive and enhance competitiveness in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

See how your health plan can improve Star Ratings by improving member engagement and satisfaction. Read our blog, “How health plans can increase member satisfaction and engagement using digital care management.”

Visit healthedge.com to discover how the integrated Care-Wellframe solution can help your plan achieve its Star Rating goals.

How to Address Pediatric Population Health with Care Management

Managing pediatric health within today’s healthcare landscape requires precision, innovation, and unwavering dedication to excellence. Health plans face the dual imperative of delivering tailored, preventive care to children while navigating complex regulations such as the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) program. This Medicaid requirement underscores a commitment to comprehensive and preventive services—ensuring children get timely screenings, diagnostics, and care to address their evolving health needs.

The Complexity of Pediatric Population Health Management

Pediatric health management goes far beyond routine check-ups. It requires tracking developmental milestones, maintaining vaccination schedules, and managing chronic conditions in children—a reality only magnified by new post-pandemic health challenges. Additionally, navigating the EPSDT program alongside state-level mandates adds layers of administrative complexity.

For health plans, addressing these diverse needs while ensuring compliance is no small feat. The stakes are high; at the core is the responsibility to deliver exceptional care while adhering to evolving regulation, improving outcomes, and maintaining operational efficiency.

GuidingCare®, a leading care management solution, is specifically designed to address these challenges. Equipped with tools that simplify complex workflows, support compliance, and unlock the power of data, GuidingCare empowers health plans to deliver smarter, member-first pediatric care with confidence.

How GuidingCare Transforms Pediatric Population Health Management

1. Streamlined Workflows and Automation

GuidingCare helps eliminate inefficiencies by streamlining the day-to-day processes critical to pediatric care. From automating EPSDT schedules to coordinating vaccinations, screenings, and follow-up appointments, this platform allows care teams to focus on what they do best—providing first-rate care. With reduced administrative burdens, workflows become faster and simpler, leaving more time for member engagement and proactive intervention.

2. Comprehensive Compliance Support

Meeting EPSDT and other pediatric regulatory requirements isn’t just a necessity—it’s a moral obligation to the youngest and often most vulnerable populations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) maintains a list of required and recommended pediatric interventions and updates the requirements annually. GuidingCare is updated annually to align with the AAP list.

GuidingCare simplifies compliance support by tracking and reporting detailed state and federal regulatory data in real time. Whether it’s managing diagnostic services, recommended treatments, or preventive screenings, the solution helps ensure nothing is missed. Through automated tracking, health plans reduce the risk of noncompliance while prioritizing the care that matters most.

3. Data-Driven Insights for Superior Outcomes

GuidingCare stands apart with its data-driven focus, helping health plans gain actionable insights into the needs and experiences of their pediatric populations. Powerful analytics help providers identify gaps in care, allowing care teams to address challenges sooner. By monitoring health trends and analyzing member data, GuidingCare makes it easier to tailor interventions to pediatric populations, delivering measurable results.

The platform also enhances family engagement with efficient digital tools, empowering caregivers and creating an ecosystem where preventive care thrives. With these capabilities, GuidingCare doesn’t just drive pediatric outcomes—it builds stronger relationships between members and their care teams.

Building a Healthier Tomorrow with Care Management

GuidingCare is more than a care management platform—it’s a gateway to healthier futures. By automating routine yet crucial tasks, supporting compliance with precision, and leveraging insights to inform better decision-making, GuidingCare equips health plans with the tools to elevate the health of the most vulnerable pediatric populations. It empowers organizations to go beyond maintaining compliance and instead become champions of accessible, preventive, high-quality care.

Learn more about how the Pediatric Population Health module from GuidingCare can help your health plan improve outcomes and comply with EPSDT requirements. Download the data sheet: Addressing the Unique Challenges of Pediatric Population Health

4 Emerging Healthcare Regulatory Trends in 2025 and Beyond

Navigating healthcare regulations and compliance is an intricate challenge. To optimize the use of healthcare dollars and more effectively address population health, The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is passing regulations to support the improvement of interoperability and prior authorization operations. To comply with these new rules, health plans are turning to advanced, integrated technologies.

This forward-looking blog dives into the most compelling regulatory trends of 2025 and changes on the horizon, offering actionable insights to help organizations adapt and thrive. By the end of this post, you’ll better understand what’s coming and how you can actively prepare your team and strategies.

Trend 1: Interoperability Redefines Healthcare Connectivity

Across the healthcare industry, siloed health information prevents health plans and providers from anticipating member needs and offering proactive interventions. In the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry has seen more widespread use of digital health tools, and the integration of these tools into care management.

For health plans, leveraging Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) offers a path forward—but adoption won’t be without challenges.

Key Interoperability Milestones

2025 is shaping up to be a critical year for assessing improvements in interoperability and payer technology adoption as part of regulatory trends in 2025.

By January 2027, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) facilitating real-time data exchange between patients, providers, and payers will become enforceable, setting a new standard for seamless information sharing.

The Problem With Siloed Data

The lack of accessible, unified healthcare data presents hurdles to both operational efficiency and patient care. Without an intentional focus on interoperability, the growth of technology use at health plans and for members can lead to internal data silos. By themselves, these pockets of information can’t tell the whole story—but collectively they could help health plans and providers better understand and anticipate the needs of various populations.

How to Prepare:

  • Partner with vendors offering FHIR-compliant APIs to centralize your data strategy.
  • Conduct annual interoperability assessments to ensure systems are scaling effectively to meet compliance.

Strategic Advantage of Interoperability

Beyond mere compliance, interoperability lays the groundwork for comprehensive analytics and improved member engagement, making it a long-term investment in competitive differentiation.

Trend 2: Modernizing Prior Authorization Processes

Another significant aspect of regulatory trends in 2025 is the modernization of prior authorization processes. Prior authorization workflows remain outdated, heavily paper-based, and inefficient. The lack of electronic communication not only delays care but also wastes resources for providers and payers.

Key Prior Authorization Milestones

  • 2025 will serve as a prep year as health organizations monitor the progress of prior authorization improvements ahead of finalized enforcement in 2027.
  • 2026 will focus on API development tailored to new advanced Explanation of Benefits (EOB) regulations.

Shifting Toward Real-Time Decisions

Mandatory FHIR APIs and shortened authorization turnaround times will accelerate data tracking and approval workflows. However, many organizations remain underprepared for these rapid shifts.

Solutions to Consider:

  • Equip your team with tools that support real-time communication between health plans and providers.
  • Invest in AI-powered automation to process authorizations quickly and with greater accuracy.

Long-Term Impact of FHIR APIs:

Payers aligning their tech stack with FHIR standards stand poised to rapidly enhance provider relations, reduce administrative costs, and ultimately deliver better member experiences.

Trend 3: Data Privacy and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The increased adoption of disparate technology systems leaves the door open for data privacy and security risks. But AI is entering the healthcare regulatory space, revolutionizing how fraud, waste, abuse (FWA), and early spending trends are identified. Health plans can leverage AI features like predictive analytics and natural language processing to identify waste and potential fraud—leading to cost savings and fewer manual reviews.

Privacy Implications

With healthcare data becoming more interconnected and accessible, regulations must evolve to protect sensitive information from breaches. Health plans must address questions such as:

  • Where is sensitive health data stored?
  • Who can access specific data?
  • How long is the data protected once shared externally?

To maintain data security, health plans can invest in data encryption and cybersecurity infrastructure for their entire organization. They can also help ensure compliance readiness by adopting technology solutions with natively embedded data security and privacy measures.

Opportunities With AI:

Beyond security concerns, AI presents tools for streamlining compliance processes, enhancing analytics-driven strategies, and improving fraud detection. Read our recent blog to see 6 key ways AI can improve payment integrity at your health plan.

Trend 4: Transparency and Enrollment Regulation

Increasing regulatory scrutiny on enrollment and data collection procedures demands health plans revisit how they handle and present information to consumers. Advanced Explanation of Benefits and the No Surprises Act are paving the way for heightened transparency in billing and claims processing.

Upcoming Transparency and Enrollment Guidelines

  • Automated Solutions for Comprehensive Enrollment Oversight.
  • Addressing redundancies to streamline enrollment workflows.
  • Clarity on AI’s role in administering and standardizing enrollment regulations.

Supporting Health Equity

Regulation updates also emphasize reducing barriers to care—be it geographic, financial, or systemic. Responding proactively and fostering a “patient-first” approach will be integral for retaining member trust.

Action Plan for Health Plan Executives

Invest Early in Innovation

Whether you’re considering the latest FHIR API or exploring AI-driven fraud detection, early adopters will capitalize most effectively on these opportunities.

Build Strong Vendor Relationships

Strong partnerships with tech providers will ensure efficient deployment of compliant solutions, keeping operations well ahead of evolving regulations.

Develop a Long-Term Roadmap for Readiness

Map out regulatory milestones through 2028, with annual evaluations to ensure progress toward compliance and interoperability goals.

By taking a strategic, forward-looking approach, organizations can transform compliance into an operational strength.

Driving Progress through Proactive Adoption

The future of healthcare compliance lies in proactive innovation. The regulatory changes on the horizon offer payers a unique opportunity to reimagine processes, adopt cutting-edge technology, and position their organizations as leaders in the industry.

By prioritizing interoperability, leveraging AI responsibly, and addressing the critical areas of data transparency and security, health plan leaders can achieve more efficient operations while keeping patient outcomes at the center of their strategies.

Want to stay ahead of regulatory trends in 2025 and maintain your market position? Download the complimentary HealthEdge Annual Payer Market Planning Report 2025.

2025 Health Plan Guide: Transforming Member Engagement & Satisfaction

Section Guide:

Key investments for member engagement

Overcoming barriers to member satisfaction

7 Key strategies for boosting member engagement

Impacts of transforming member engagement

Key investments for member engagement

Today’s healthcare consumer expects seamless, digital-first interactions with their health plan. They demand transparency, self-service options, and personalized experiences—which required a departure from traditional in-person and telephonic member engagement methods. In addition to improving satisfaction and clinical outcomes, maximizing member engagement can enable health plans to meet strategic business goals.

In the HealthEdge® Annual Payer Market Planning Report 2025, we uncovered the key areas health plans are focusing on to enhance member engagement. Improving health equity and addressing disparities came in as the top priority for health plan executives (59%). The dual focus on equity (59%) and transparency (51%) signals a broader commitment to bridging care gaps while building trust. Plans that prioritize equitable access to information and services position themselves as true partners in health.

To achieve these goals, payers are investing in the following solutions to help educate and empower members while streamlining processes for payers and providers:

  • Member Portals – Centralized digital hubs that give members easy access to their benefits, claims, and personal health information.
  • Mobile Apps – User-friendly mobile apps designed to bridge gaps between members, payers, and providers by enabling seamless outreach and communication.
  • Enhanced Member Service Centers – Deliver personalized, real-time support to resolve issues effectively.
  • Overcoming Barriers to Member Satisfaction

Despite advancements in member engagement technologies, several challenges still inhibit scalability and member impact:

Legacy core administrative processing system (CAPS) can cause data sharing bottlenecks that create inefficiencies and frustrate members with inconsistent, disconnected healthcare experiences. Health plans without access to updated, integrated data and analytics will be stuck reactively addressing gaps in care.

Social determinants of health (SDoH) add layers of complexity to healthcare access and engagement, making one-size-fits-all solutions ineffective. Tailoring member engagement efforts to diverse populations is critical to earn members’ trust and build lasting relationships. But gathering and analyzing the data necessary to provide a personalized experience can be challenging with outdated and disparate systems.

In addition to data access and analysis, health plans and members are increasingly concerned about data privacy. While members expect tailored interactions, concerns about data usage and security persist. Regulations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) encourage health plans to be transparent about data use and security measures to reduce cybersecurity risks.

Health plans must adopt modern technology to make healthcare more accessible and empower members to engage with their plans and take an active role in their wellness.

[H2] 6 Key Strategies for Boosting Member Engagement

To meet member demands and overcome barriers to member engagement, health plan leaders are developing proactive, technology-forward strategies. Based on their priorities for 2025 and beyond, we suggest 6 strategic solutions health plans can adopt to meet member engagement goals.

1. Enhance Accessibility with Self-Service Tools

Customer experience has evolved beyond face-to-face interactions, with technology playing a crucial role in customer service. This shift aligns with consumer preferences —an estimated 73% of customers prefer the ability to resolve issues on their own.

According to the Market Planning Report, 45% reported the “inability to self-serve” was one of the biggest hurdles to member satisfaction. Providing members with user-friendly tools can help give them control over their health and make more informed care decisions. Platforms like GuidingCare® and Wellframe integrate personalized health information with streamlined care workflows, helping members manage their health and benefits from a mobile device.

Self-service tools, such as member portals, digital care programs, and care management, allow members to easily:

  • Check benefits and coverage.
  • Access educational content tailored to their health conditions.
  • Reach out to care teams and health plan representatives.

Where can we go next?

Streamlining Member Touchpoints: Focus on reducing friction in member interactions, whether digital or in-person, by eliminating silos and simplifying processes.

2. Personalize the Member Journey

Each member has unique health and wellness needs, and engagement preferences. Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and integrated data analytics enable health plans to offer personalized health recommendations and prioritize member outreach.

AI-powered tools are helping plans stay ahead of industry shifts by anticipating member needs, simplifying care management, and creating more personalized experiences. By automating workflows, these solutions help reduce inefficiencies and reallocate vital resources. In fact, AI-enabled solutions are well received among consumers— 65% expressed a preference for health plans that leverage AI to create a more personalized experience for members.

Leveraging insights from platforms like Wellframe, health plans can suggest tailored care programs based on a member’s demographics, health goals, and survey responses—improving member engagement and satisfaction.

Where can we go next?

Deepening Personalization Through Data: Use AI and advanced analytics to deliver relevant, contextual information to improve member experiences while maintaining transparency around data use.

3. Address Health Equity

Closing the health equity gap is one of the most critical initiatives for health plans. This involves ensuring that all members, regardless of socioeconomic background or geographic location, have equal access to high-quality care. By investing in digital health management solutions, health plans can expand their reach to underserved populations.

Learn more about how digital care programs can improve outcomes for high-risk maternity populations by reading our blog, Reduce Maternal Morbidity Risk for Black Women with Digital Care Management.

Where can we go next?

Embedding Health Equity into Core Strategies: Ensure your health plan’s member engagement strategies account for potential disparities and help create equitable experiences for all members.

4. Simplify Healthcare Communications and Information Access

Healthcare data is often difficult for members to understand, which contributes to confusion and frustration. There are a few ways health plans can help members better navigate the healthcare system. Health plans should consider making the member communications and educational materials easier to understand and more accessible.  Leverage plain language, visual aids, and interactive elements to explain complex health information. This approach can help members feel more confident in managing their health and make informed decisions.

Health plans can also focus on simplifying access to key healthcare and coverage documents, including:

  • Real-time benefits information
  • Detailed explanations of out-of-pocket costs
  • Resources for making better health and financial decisions

Clear and accessible information about healthcare coverage and access builds trust between health plans and their members. It also empowers members to make more informed and confident decisions about their health .

Where can we go next?

Promote Health Literacy and Improve Healthcare Navigation: Develop member communications and documents with the intent of improving health literacy. This helps members understand what to expect when it comes to making appointments and using their coverage.

5. Streamline Claims and Administrative Processes

Efficient claims processing ensures that members receive timely and accurate reimbursements, which directly impacts their perception of care and coverage. When claims are processed smoothly, members experience fewer billing errors, delays, and frustrations, leading to a more positive overall experience.

Transparency in billing and claims processing is equally vital, as it helps members understand their financial responsibilities and prevents surprises. By providing clear, detailed explanations of benefits, coverage, and out-of-pocket costs, health plans can build trust and reduce anxiety about unexpected bills. This transparency fosters collaboration and leads to stronger partnership, ultimately improving health outcomes.

Where can we go next?

Streamline Claims and Simplify Billing: Implement efficient claims processing and enhance transparency in billing for accurate reimbursements and clear communication. Utilize advanced solutions to manage complex needs and ensure a seamless healthcare experience for members.

6. Leverage Mobile Apps for Omnichannel Engagement

Mobile apps are more than just convenient—they’re essential. Up to 64% of health plan members are comfortable using mobile apps to engage with their health plans. This gives  health plans more opportunities to learn about members’ unique needs and provide proactive support. Integrated digital health apps combine communication tools (such as HIPAA-compliant messaging) with biometrics and activity tracking to keep members engaged and on track with their health goals.

Wellframe, for example, creates an average of 34 digital touchpoints per member per month through the mobile app. Touchpoints include a combination of high-value interactions such as:

  • Dismissing medication reminders
  • Logging biometrics or physical activity
  • Completing digital surveys

Where can we go next?

Building Proactive Engagement Models: Shift from reactive service to proactive outreach, using insights to address potential engagement gaps before they become issues.

Impacts of transforming member engagement

When health plans integrate intelligent engagement strategies, the impact is clear:

  • Higher Member Satisfaction – Clear communication, self-service tools, and accurate claims lead to decreased frustration.
  • Improved Health Outcomes – Care management workflows and personalized actions encourage better adherence to care plans.
  • Greater Retention – Positive experiences cultivate loyalty, ensuring members remain with their health plans longer.

By meeting members where they are and aligning strategies with consumer expectations, health plans have an opportunity to redefine their relationships with members. The integration of innovative technologies and personalized experiences will be critical in 2025 and beyond, allowing health plans to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Are you ready to make member engagement your competitive advantage?

How Healthcare Payers Plan to Improve Provider Engagement in 2025

Effective provider engagement is fundamental to reducing administrative costs and improving member outcomes. However, as operational complexities persist and healthcare demands increase, the need for innovative approaches to provider engagement has become more urgent than ever.

Healthcare payers are now looking to the future, identifying new strategies, technologies, and processes to overcome challenges and move toward meaningful provider collaboration. Here’s how health plan executives are preparing to improve provider engagement in 2025.

Three Priorities Driving Provider Engagement Strategies

The HealthEdge® Annual Payer Market Planning Report 2025 offers critical insights into what health plan leaders are focusing on when it comes to provider engagement. The top three priorities include:

  1. Provider Network Management (33%) – Streamlining network operations to improve efficiency and provider satisfaction.
  2. Payment Integrity (22%) – Ensuring accurate, timely payments to build trust while minimizing costly errors and rework.
  3. Enhanced Provider Collaboration and Value-Based Care (VBC) Contracting (19%) – Empowering providers to deliver better outcomes through partnership-driven models.

These priorities reflect a broader trend of moving from transactional relationships to collaborative ones, where payers and providers work together to achieve shared goals.

Overcoming Key Challenges in Provider Engagement

Despite the focus on improving provider networks and payments, health plans face several prominent challenges when it comes to provider engagement. Based on survey responses:

  • Claims processing delays (60%) emerged as the leading issue, causing frustration for providers and slowing down administrative workflows.
  • Limited access to real-time data and information sharing (45%) continues to hinder seamless collaboration.
  • Lack of transparency (43%) negatively impacts provider trust and satisfaction.

Modern and integrated solutions are essential for health plans to tackle the challenge of real-time data access, identified by 71% of health plans as their biggest workflow and data communication issue. By ensuring interoperability and seamless data flow between healthcare systems, these solutions can significantly enhance provider engagement.

The Role of Provider Data Management (PDM) in Engagement

Central to streamlining provider relationships and overcoming challenges is the integrity and efficiency of Provider Data Management (PDM) systems. However, today’s market is saturated with disjointed solutions riddled with inefficiencies. Health plans often rely on scattered point solutions, fragmented systems, and subpar data integration.

For health plans looking to level up their provider engagement, modern solutions offer a holistic solution to these obstacles. Leaders in this space are prioritizing three main investments for their provider engagement solutions over the next year:

  1. Enhanced Analytics and Reporting (24%) – Tools that provide actionable insights to improve performance and guide decision-making.
  2. Real-Time API Services (23%) – Seamless, real-time interoperability to keep provider data accurate and accessible.
  3. Self-Service Digital Resources (22%) – Empowering providers with user-friendly platforms to manage their data independently.

These features ensure that  have the tools necessary to streamline workflows, improve data accuracy, and boost provider satisfaction.

Payment Integrity as a Building Block for Provider Trust

One of the most impactful ways to improve provider engagement is by investing in payment integrity technology. Accurate payments, streamlined workflows, and reduced payment delays are critical to building trust with providers. Yet, many health plans still struggle with overpayments, underpayments, and drawn-out payment reconciliation.

HealthEdge Source™ Payment Integrity Suite offers a proactive solution. By integrating industry data, proprietary rules, and a flexible configuration layer, HealthEdge Source helps ensure accurate claim editing and pricing. With tools to reduce improper payments upfront and minimize rework, health plans can significantly reduce provider abrasion.

HealthEdge Source also has the ability to adapt provider contract terms and policy guidelines into the platform as a series of edits and pricers. This allows for precise business intelligence and deployment into production with minimal IT lift.

Real Savings Through Payment Integrity

  • Time Efficiencies: Source’s workflow automation and real-time claims adjudication reduces manual hours spent correcting errors.
  • Cost Savings: Preventing improper payments up front saves both money and resources.
  • Provider Satisfaction: Efficient payment processes help maintain a positive payer-provider relationship.

Building Transparent and Collaborative Provider Relationships

In the report, 59% of executives surveyed agree that improving transparency in claims and payment processes is critical for provider satisfaction. Providers need access to the most accurate, up-to-date information to provide members with the right care.

HealthEdge’s integrated platform provides a vital foundation for these investments. Offering end-to-end solutions for everything from administrative processing and payment integrity to care management tools, the platform is carefully designed to tackle modern healthcare challenges while enabling health plans to collaborate effectively with network providers.

The path forward for healthcare payers depends on meaningful provider engagement. By prioritizing technology modernization, payment accuracy, and transparent collaboration, organizations can foster proactive partnerships that benefit both providers and patients.

Actionable Next Steps:

  1. Evaluate your existing systems for efficiency and integration gaps.
  2. Invest in integrated solutions that can provide analytics, real-time updates, and self-service capabilities to providers.
  3. Adopt proactive payment integrity solutions to streamline claim workflows and build trust.

Improving provider engagement isn’t just a vision for the future—it’s an imperative for today. Health plans committed to innovation and collaboration will position themselves as leaders in an increasingly competitive industry.

Visit our blog, 3 Ways to Reduce Provider Abrasion with your Payment Integrity Solution.

Support High-Risk Maternity Members with Digital Care Management

The U.S. maternal health system faces a troubling crisis: Disparities in maternal health outcomes disproportionately affect Black, American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI) women. Structural racism, implicit biases, and systemic barriers in healthcare can make it challenging for women of color to access the health support and information they need. Plus, Black, AIAN, and NHPI women are less likely to receive timely—or any—prenatal care than white women.

This lack of prenatal healthcare support heightens risks for both parents and infants. For example, 50,000-60,000 women experience severe maternal morbidity every year. But Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related conditions than their white counterparts.

The scope of severe maternal morbidity goes beyond pregnancy and birth. Common prenatal risks include conditions such as hypertension, depression, and preeclampsia, while postpartum risks include hemorrhaging, postpartum depression, and heart failure. Though many of these conditions and outcomes are preventable, pregnant members must have access to timely and comprehensive care.

Digital care management solutions can help your health plan support high-risk maternity members, improve clinical outcomes, and lower long-term care costs.

Maternal care transformation through digital engagement

Effective member engagement is critical for addressing maternal morbidity. Many members don’t fully understand their coverage or the importance of regular and proactive care. Digital care management tools empower high-risk maternity members to engage with their health plans, while giving them access to a dedicated care team, health education resources, and personalized support.

A digital care program integrates mobile technology, health education, two-way communication, and digital surveys to engage members, manage care plans, and uncover gaps in care. Wellframe’s Digital Care Management platform equips care teams with the tools they need to support members holistically and efficiently.

Key features of the platform include:

  • HIPAA-compliant two-way chat for members to reach their care teams.
  • Daily personalized checklists and medication reminders.
  • On-demand access to short and easy-to-understand educational materials.
  • Alerts and dashboards to help care teams prioritize high-risk members.

Wellframe’s “Maternal Wellness” program at work

Recognizing the unique needs of high-risk populations, Wellframe’s new care program, “Maternal Wellness for Black Women,” is specifically designed to support pregnant Black women through health education and advocacy.

Members enrolled in the Maternal Wellness program had higher rates of prenatal visits than non-users—a key determinant of positive clinical outcomes. Enrolled members also saw lower emergency room utilization in the third trimester than other members. In addition to improving clinical outcomes, digital engagement tools can also enhance member satisfaction. Payers using Wellframe digital engagement achieved an 8% increase in HEDIS Prenatal and Postpartum Care (PPC) outcomes.[NB1]

The program is available through a mobile app and provides enrolled members with ongoing access to their care teams and other resources. Health resources include articles on topics like prenatal care, health warning signs, how to effectively talk to providers, and more. With digital care programs, members can also set custom reminders for medications, appointments, and healthy habits to stay on track with their health goals.

5 Practical Steps For Improving Maternal Health

What should health plans look for when it comes to a comprehensive digital care program for high-risk maternity members?

1. Leverage data to drive interventions

Use digital engagement platforms to surface insights about members’ behavioral, clinical, and social needs through features like two-way chat and digital surveys. This will enable care teams to act proactively rather than reactively.

2. Engage high-risk members where they are

Invest in integrated digital tools that streamline data sharing and communication. Wellframe’s HIPAA-compliant chat makes it easy for members to stay connected with their care teams without the logistical barriers of traditional healthcare settings. And care teams can export and share data across clinical platforms.

3. Prioritize holistic, personalized care

Address non-clinical barriers such as food security, transportation, and mental health resources within your digital care platforms. Building trust with members creates a strong foundation for engagement, as well as improve outcomes and lower long-term care costs.

4. Identify and close gaps in care

Regular monitoring and communication through digital solutions ensures members are routinely prompted to complete key health milestones, from checking off medication reminders to step tracking and blood pressure monitoring.

5. Deliver culturally relevant member outreach

Use culturally appropriate, multilingual educational materials to create an inclusive experience for members of diverse backgrounds. Wellframe offers multilingual content in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole.

Beyond the Numbers

Outcomes like higher prenatal visit rates and reduced ER utilization don’t just lead to financial savings—they represent better, safer experiences for mothers and their babies. By leveraging integrated Digital Care Management solutions like Wellframe, your health plan is doing more than investing in healthcare innovation—you’re addressing deep-rooted inequities in maternal health.

If your health plan is ready to revolutionize the way you support maternity populations, discover how Wellframe can improve outcomes not just for your members but for the healthcare system as a whole. Learn More.