Why Retention Is Your Most Overlooked Growth Strategy in Medicare Advantage

Health plans have spent years fine-tuning their acquisition engines by building marketing funnels, optimizing AEP campaigns, and chasing growth through new sign-ups. But growth that leans too heavily on acquisition alone doesn’t last. It’s reactive. It’s expensive. And it overlooks your biggest opportunity: the members you already have.
These members chose your plan. They’ve navigated your onboarding. They’ve had touchpoints, both good and bad, with your team. And when they leave, it signals more than dissatisfaction. It reveals a disconnect that could ripple across your entire membership base.
That’s why the members you’ve already earned matter more than ever. When they feel supported and understood, they don’t just stay. They engage more in their care. They ask better questions. And they advocate for your plan with others.

Retention isn’t just an efficiency play. It is the most reliable engine for sustainable growth. Invest in the relationships you’ve already built, and everything else- revenue, ratings, and reputation gets stronger.

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‍Your growth strategy should start with the members you already have.

While the MA market has expanded significantly, with enrollment reaching 32.8 million in 2024, accounting for 54% of eligible Medicare beneficiaries, this growth brings challenges. The average MA plan loses over $60 million annually due to voluntary disenrollments. High disenrollment rates can also negatively impact CMS Star Ratings, affecting bonus payments and plan attractiveness.
Moreover, individuals who disenroll from MA plans often incur higher healthcare costs. A study found that Medicare spending was 27% higher for people who disenrolled from MA compared to those who remained in traditional Medicare. This not only affects the individuals but also places a financial strain on the healthcare system.
Churn also has operational consequences. Every member lost means another one needs to be acquired, and that comes at a cost. According to industry benchmarks, acquiring a new MA member can cost up to $500, while keeping an existing one is significantly less expensive. Beyond costs, there's also disruption: from changes in care coordination to gaps in coverage continuity, churn affects the member experience and creates more work for internal teams.

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‍Rethinking retention as a growth strategy

Retention isn’t just a service metric. It is a revenue strategy. Health plans with high retention rates tend to show better Star Ratings, stronger word-of-mouth referrals, and improved financial stability. Yet, many plans still treat retention as a byproduct of good service rather than a focused initiative.
Treating retention as a core strategy allows plans to build long-term relationships that withstand seasonal marketing noise and competitive pressures. It shifts the dynamic from transactional to relational, and that shift pays dividends not just in loyalty but also in better health outcomes and operational efficiency.

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‍What turns a member into a loyal advocate

Understanding why members stay is just as important as understanding why they leave. Members stay when they feel known, supported, and confident in their plan. They value simplicity, transparency, and responsiveness. Retention grows when members feel like the plan is working with them, not around them.

Key drivers of loyalty include:
- Timely communication and follow-up
- Ease of accessing care and understanding benefits
- Cultural and linguistic alignment
- Proactive engagement during critical touchpoints (e.g., AEP, post-hospitalization, chronic condition management)
It’s the small, often overlooked moments that influence how members feel about your plan and whether they want to continue the relationship. A quick answer, a timely reminder, a message that feels personal- these are the quiet signals that say, 'we see you.' Over time, they add up to trust. And trust is what makes someone stay.

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‍How Mia can help‍

‍Mia is a member retention platform built specifically for health plans.
Retention isn't something you fix once a year. It's something you manage every day. Mia helps you do just that, by reaching out before members reach a breaking point. It talks to them in the language they understand, listens for patterns of disengagement, and responds in ways that feel timely and personal. Whether it’s clarifying a benefit, nudging them to schedule care, or simply being available when they need help, Mia ensures no member feels forgotten. And because everything is trackable, your team sees where loyalty is growing, where it’s at risk, and how to act on it. That’s how Mia turns retention from a reactive process into a reliable growth engine.

‍Conclusion

In a sea of plans with similar offerings, it’s not what you provide- it’s how consistently, clearly, and personally you deliver it. Every member who chooses to stay is a vote of confidence in your plan, your people, and your promise.
If that’s the kind of growth you’re after, start where loyalty begins. Start with Mia.