Payer Web Presence Index Released

2013 Payer Web Presence Index Released by Payer+Provider Syndicate

BOSTON-September 12, 2013: Once Health Insurance Exchanges open on October 1st, 2013, it will be essential for health plans to maintain a high level of consumer awareness. To assess how major health plans have prepared for the transition, Payer+Provider Syndicate assessed their web traffic, number of inbound links, and Google PageRank, and combined the numbers into an index. Payer+Provider Syndicate’s Payer Web Presence Index combines data on traffic, inbound links, and site relevance to assess how well health plans have marketed themselves to consumers.

According to Payer+Provider Syndicate’s Payer Web Presence Index, the seven major insurers with the best web presence are:

  1. Aetna (529)
  2. Cigna (451)
  3. UnitedHealthcare (373)
  4. Humana (333)
  5. Kaiser Permanente (323)
  6. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (311)
  7. Anthem (WellPoint) (230)

To view the full list of rankings, visit payerprovider.com/payer-web-presence-2013

According to Adam Powell, Ph.D., President of Payer+Provider Syndicate, “The importance of having a well-conceived web presence will only increase in 2014 and beyond. We’re entering an environment in which more and more people will be responsible for selecting their health plans. As health insurance moves from being a B2B to a B2C business, web strategies that would have been adequate three years ago will no longer suffice.” One surprise that the ranking revealed was that Anthem had a stronger web presence than its parent, WellPoint. In response to this finding, Dr. Powell remarked, “Historically, several managed care organizations have maintained separate branding in different markets. Going forward, payers may wish to consider adopting unified branding across markets in order to strengthen their relationships with consumers.”

The Web Presence Index was calculated by using data from Alexa and Google captured on September 9th, 2013. Estimates of site traffic were measured by a proprietary toolbar which reports traffic data to Alexa. Google PageRank data were used to assess Google’s perception of the relative importance of the sites. The Web Presence Index only ranked major managed care organizations operating in multiple state markets.

About Payer+Provider Syndicate

At Payer+Provider Syndicate, we believe that the toughest operational and strategic challenges in healthcare are best addressed by subject matter experts with deep industry experience. Our experts have advised health insurers, hospitals, and numerous other organizations interacting with them. Whether analyzing a market, evaluating a business, or devising a methodology for improving operations, we rely upon our collective understanding of economics, healthcare policy, managed care, medicine, statistics, and strategy to serve our clients’ needs.

Part of the Payer+Provider mission is to be a thought leader in health services research. To facilitate this, we actively engage with the healthcare press, publish academic research, and facilitate the discovery of existing healthcare knowledge. Payer+Provider experts have been featured in popular outlets including CNN.com, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, and Reuters. Payer+Provider also regularly contributes to industry sources, including Becker’s Hospital Review, Healthcare Finance News, and HealthLeaders Media.

Press Contact

Adam Powell, Ph.D.
Payer+Provider Syndicate

powell@payerprovider.com
(617) 939-9168

8 Garrison St. Ste. 101
Boston, MA 02116

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