The not-for-profit Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, which serves 440,000 members across 33 counties in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, and Washington, will launch a first-of-its kind program to train brokers and provide them with tools to serve as trusted advisors who actively support members in achieving their health care goals.
The “Brokers as Health Navigators” program will launch this spring across SCAN’s Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington markets.
“MA is here to stay, but it must continue to prove its value—not just financially, but clinically and experientially,” said Dr. Sachin H. Jain, CEO of SCAN Group and SCAN Health Plan, in the announcement. “Many of the best brokers are already acting as trusted advisors, guiding members well beyond enrollment. This program builds on that foundation and enables more brokers to help members access care and complete preventive services.”
The program aims to meet the needs of seniors, especially those with complex health needs, who express a desire for human guidance. While technology can replicate transactional enrollment functions, SCAN said it cannot replace trusted relationships.
SCAN wants to formalize and strengthen the broker’s role in member engagement and helping members obtain preventive care. The program, SCAN said, is also part of its broader effort to demonstrate to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services the measurable value that brokers can bring to MA.
Participating brokers will receive training and tools to assist members in completing specific health activities that support quality and clinical outcomes.
The first phase of the program will focus on:
- Welcome call support to educate new members on the importance of completing their SCAN welcome call and understanding their plan benefits.
- Flu vaccination outreach to encouraging and assisting members in obtaining a flu shot, including education on related SCAN-covered benefits.
- Annual wellness visit engagement to help members understand and schedule their annual wellness visit.
SCAN will pay brokers for the additional services they provide under the program once it validates through encounter and welcome call data that a member completed these activities.
“We are grateful to our broker partners for their interest in this initiative,” Jain said. “This is just the beginning. Together, we can redefine what it means to serve older adults—not just by helping them choose coverage, but by helping them use it well.”