Healthcare · Web · BCBSNE · 2019 (released 2022)
Making health claims make sense
Members couldn't easily tell where a claim stood or what it meant for their benefits. I ran the research and designed a responsive member portal, built for an older user base.
Role
UI/UX Designer
Company
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE)
Method
Call center shadowing, usability lab with eye-tracking
Team
PM, CX researcher
22%
reduction in support calls
28
users tested
3
years of development
Before
After
The Problem
BCBSNE wanted a member portal that was easier to use and made claim status clear. The current site wasn't responsive, and the primary user base skewed older.
Research & Insights
Call-center shadowing
I sat with customer service reps to learn the most common member questions. Most callers asked how a claim had processed and how it would effect their benefit status.
Confusing claims
Users flipped back and forth between claim and benefits views trying to work out how a claim affected their deductible. Older users also struggled to read and understand small text on the current site.
Eye tracking found the friction
Usability tests in BCBSNE's lab with employees and members, tracking eye movements and response times to reveal when and where gaps in users’ understanding occurred.
Key Decisions
01
Show each claim's impact in place
Each claim shows its direct effect on the member's deductible and out-of-pocket maximum.
Eye tracking and click data showed users toggling between views to figure it out.
02
Pair numbers with simple visuals and plain language
Visual representations of amounts alongside a breakdown of the numbers, plus detailed explanations of exactly where a claim is in the process.
Testing showed users understood their claims better with everything in one view.
03
Design for older members
Larger fonts, more explanatory text, and dashboards segmented into compartments, all in a responsive layout.
The primary user base skewed older, and the old site wasn't responsive.
The Result
After I finished the research and designs, I onboarded another designer to complete the project because I'd accepted another opportunity. The portal shipped in 2022 with few changes to my designs, and customer support calls dropped 22%.
