Background
Enrollment in health plans can be overwhelming for seniors, especially when comparing plan options, provider networks, and supplemental benefits. Historically, most seniors enrolled through brokers, with limited digital self-service options available.
To meet this challenge, Alignment Healthcare developed the Individual Enrollment Portal a web based tool designed to support fully guided, independent plan selection.
Despite its potential, only 3% of seniors currently choose self-service enrollment. While the tool remains unpublished, it’s a viable and scalable foundation for future implementation.
Solution - Individual Enrollment Portal
The platform was built to reduce friction, increase transparency, and guide users step-by-step through plan selection and enrollment.
Key Features:
- Plan Search by ZIP Code - Filters plans by eligibility and location
- Plan Comparison Tool - Side by side comparison of benefits, networks, and supplemental services
- Provider & Medical Group Visibility - Helps users confirm their doctors accept the plan
- Benefit & Coverage Breakdown - Clear, category-based view of plan offerings
- Supplemental Perks Includes dental, vision, fitness, and wellness
- Step-by-Step Enrollment - A guided interface with intuitive progress flow
My UI/UX Leadership Contribution
As the UX leader on this project, I drove the vision and user experience strategy for a tool designed specifically with seniors in mind:
- Analyzed call center data and live member conversations to surface pain points and common enrollment blockers
- Used CRM call reason data to identify high-volume issues, guiding data-driven prioritization
- Simplified enrollment flows to minimize cognitive load and build user trust
- Designed comparison tools to support informed decisions presenting plan data in a digestible format
- Ensured full WCAG accessibility compliance to support seniors with visual or mobility impairments
- Optimized usability across both mobile and desktop devices
- Collaborated with product and engineering to align workflows and refine interactions
- Created UI elements that reduced friction and made complex decisions feel manageable
Key Takeaways
- User trust matters as much as usability - Seniors need guidance and assurance
- Digital doesn’t replace human it enhances it -Hybrid tools serve both members and brokers
- Data drives design - CRM analysis was critical to building the right features
- Adoption requires more than launch - Education, incentives, and behavioral nudges are key
- Accessibility is foundational, not optional - WCAG built in from the start ensured inclusion
Impact & Insights
Simplified Enrollment - Clear, accessible design allowed seniors to navigate enrollment independently with fewer support needs.
Enhanced Transparency - Plan and provider data was presented in a format that demystified plan selection and improved confidence.
Hybrid Support Model -The platform supports broker-assisted use as well creating flexibility for both self-service and guided enrollment.
Limited Adoption - Only 3% of seniors opted into self-service, indicating a strong preference for broker involvement and a need for stronger incentives or education.
Future Potential - While not launched, the portal remains a ready-to-deploy, scalable solution for improving enrollment efficiency.
Conclusion
The Individual Enrollment Portal reimagines how seniors navigate plan selection offering a personalized self-service experience designed for clarity, accessibility, and ease. While not yet in production, the tool lays the groundwork for a more empowered, digitally fluent enrollment model that can evolve with future behavioral shifts.