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Make Visual Appeal a Priority
When you create a welcome kit, you may focus too much on words, but visual design matters just as much. Effective welcome kits help reduce member anxiety and make information easier to understand.
Consider the following best practices:
- Use clear, readable fonts and layouts that support accessibility requirements.
- Structure your content using headings, subheadings, and bullet points for fast scanning.
- Incorporate white space to avoid overwhelming members.
- Use imagery that reflects diverse populations and promotes healthy lifestyles.
- Select a consistent color palette that supports readability and brand recognition.
CMS requires Medicare communications to comply with accessibility and language requirements, including providing materials in alternative formats and applicable languages when needed. Medicaid managed care regulations similarly require enrollees to understand the information easily and access it readily.
Investing in professional design can help plans balance compliance requirements with positive member experience.
Include the Information Members Need Most
A welcome kit should provide members with the essential information they need to begin using their coverage successfully.
Medicare Advantage welcome kits may include:
- Member ID card
- Evidence of Coverage (EOC)
- Formulary information
- Provider directory access instructions
- Information about supplemental benefits
- Member rights and protections
- Digital member portal and mobile app instructions
CMS urges members to review materials like their Evidence of Coverage and other plan documents. This helps them better understand their benefits and coverage.
Medicaid welcome kits may include:
- Member handbook
- Member ID card
- Primary care provider selection instructions
- Health Risk Assessment (HRA) information
- Transportation benefit details
- Behavioral health resources
- Community-based resource referrals
- Care management program information
For Medicaid members, health plans should promote lesser-used benefits too. These include Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) and care coordination support. They also include food assistance referrals, housing resources, and whole-person health and wellness programs. These benefits can significantly improve member engagement and health outcomes.
Highlight Clear Calls to Action
New members often need to complete several important tasks within the first few weeks of enrollment. These actions should be easy to see, not hidden in long paragraphs of text.
Consider including a “Getting Started” checklist that covers:
- Activating online accounts
- Downloading the health plan mobile app
- Selecting a primary care provider
- Completing a Health Risk Assessment
- Reviewing covered benefits
- Updating communication preferences
- Accessing digital ID cards
- Finding in-network providers
For Medicaid plans, the Health Risk Assessment is crucial. Many states require plans to complete assessments soon after enrollment. Making this requirement highly visible can improve compliance and support earlier care management outreach.
Offer Multiple Ways to Get Help
Even the best welcome kit will not answer every question. Make it easy for members to find assistance when they need it.
Include:
- Member services phone numbers
- TTY/TDD information
- Secure messaging instructions
- Website and portal links
- Mobile app support resources
- Language assistance services
- Accessibility accommodation requests
Federal Medicaid managed care rules require clear and accessible messages for enrollees. They must be easy to understand. They must also include interpretation and translation services. Medicare communications have similar language and accessibility expectations.
Providing multiple communication channels helps ensure members can engage using their preferred method.
Use Welcome Kits to Drive Long-Term Engagement
The most successful welcome kits do more than explain benefits. They encourage members to become active participants in their healthcare journey.
Effective welcome kits can help:
- Increase utilization of preventive care services
- Improve digital adoption
- Increase Health Risk Assessment completion rates
- Reduce avoidable customer service calls
- Improve member satisfaction
- Strengthen retention and loyalty
They can also create opportunities to educate members about wellness programs, rewards and incentive programs, care management services, telehealth offerings, and supplemental benefits.
Collect Feedback and Continuously Improve
Member expectations, CMS guidance, and state Medicaid requirements continue to evolve. Health plans should regularly evaluate welcome kit performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
Consider tracking:
- Member service call trends
- HRA completion rates
- Digital account registrations
- PCP selections
- Member satisfaction scores
- Benefit utilization trends
Feedback from members, brokers, employers, and customer service representatives can offer helpful insights. It can show what information helps most and where confusion still exists.
How Toppan Merrill Can Help
Creating compliant Medicare and Medicaid welcome kits requires more than great design. Health plans must manage changing CMS requirements, state-specific regulations, accessibility standards, language mandates, content approvals, personalization, and omnichannel distribution.
Toppan Merrill helps health plans streamline the creation, management, production, and distribution of complex member communications. Our solutions support document creation, content management, and accessibility compliance. They also support translation workflows, print and digital distribution, and regulatory change management. This helps plans deliver accurate, engaging member experiences with confidence.
Helpful CMS Resources
Medicaid Managed Care Information Requirements [ecfr.gov]
Medicare Welcome Package [medicare.gov]
