My Dad, the founder of Straight Talk, despite having a mild form of dyslexia and struggling to spell words, was an inveterate letter writer. When he saw something going sideways that he thought someone should be working to fix, either because of their job or their appointed position, he let them know. Forcefully!
I can remember very clearly when I was a teenager, I got in a wreck on a dark and rainy winter night because of what turned out to be the bad behavior of some public servants on the highway. I was content to just let it go, but Dad told me right up straight: “Son, you did something stupid, but you’re a kid and that’s part of growing up. But the other guys, they work for the government and they should have known better. And if you don’t call them on it, then nothing is going to change! Is that what you want?” I said I guess not, and off he went to write that next letter. I remember thinking, “Nobody is going to care about his letter or what happened to me.” In that case, I turned out to be very wrong. His letter inspired a lot of change and needed correction.
I think all of us go through those times where we wonder if anybody cares or is even listening when things aren’t going great and we need some help. Dad was brilliant at calling people to accountability. It’s something I’ve carried with me, and I expect people to do the same for me when I fall short.
We’re Listening!
Did you know you may have a similar opportunity to tell us here at Louisiana Blue what we’re doing well and not so well?
More than 10,000 of you holding Louisiana Blue cards are going to get that chance. Starting on Feb. 26, the annual Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS and MCAHPS ) surveys began going out. These are health plan member surveys that tell the federal government and healthcare regulatory bodies like the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), how we are doing. And ultimately, that feedback gets passed to us.
Think about these things:
Do you care about immunization schedules and coverage and want to talk about that?
Do you care about drug coverage and how much your insurance will pay for your prescriptions?
Do you care about how long it takes for you to find a doctor and get an appointment?
Do you care which hospitals you and your family can use?
Do you care about the service you get from Louisiana Blue when you contact us for help?
These are just a few of the topics we want your opinion on. If you are among the 10,000+ Louisiana Blue members selected, you might get a survey between March and May of this year. You could get asked to take the survey via mail (with a QR code if you prefer to take it online), email or a phone call. You only need to fill out one survey through one method. We are very glad to hear what you think of us and how we are doing. It’s a unique opportunity to give to Louisiana Blue, and we hope you will take it.
All survey responses are anonymous, and telling us what you think can help us figure out how to make doing business with us easier and better for everyone.
Keep in mind that since Louisiana Blue is not directly sending out this survey, it may not be immediately obvious that this is what it is. Look for language about “CAHPS,” “MCAHPS” or “health plan survey.” If you get the survey by phone, you will see the survey company’s name in the caller ID. You can ask them to verify it’s legit before you respond.
We Want to Hear from YOU – Yes, You!
Why is it important that we get feedback from as many of our members as possible? Historically, only about 10-15% of Louisiana Blue members who get the surveys take the time to fill them out. The survey is detailed and can take 20-30 minutes to complete, which we know is a big investment of your time. BUT it pales when you think about how much you will spend on health insurance and your healthcare. You know how important it is when you need to use it. So, take that time to tell us what’s working well and what isn’t.
And we truly do use your feedback to improve how we serve our members. Over the past few years, we’ve made several changes based on feedback through this survey. For example, we’ve added price-checker tools to our website and digital platform so it’s easier for you to see what different services or prescriptions cost. We also developed a new FindCare online directory to simplify the process of searching for in-network providers or facilities. And, we’ve given the commercial members an option to securely message with a Customer Service representative through the MyLABlue digital platform. And for our Medicare members, we partnered with Silver Sneakers, the gold standard in fitness.
What else could we do to make Blue better for you? You tell us!
The Straight Talk is, we REALLY want to know what you think!
If you get a communication about a CAHPS or MCAHPS survey, either in the mailbox, email or a phone call, please take the time to tell us how you feel about all these things. We use your guidance via this survey to know where we need to improve, where we need to dedicate more resources, and what we are doing well. Louisiana Blue is YOUR plan, so feel free to grade us and let us know how we are doing. We look forward to hearing from you!
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