Informational messaging launches on Blueprint Portal 

Thanks to a new feature on Blueprint Portal, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s secure member website and mobile app, members now may see health and plan informational messages within the portal.  

Trey Hankins, director of customer and digital experience and design for Arkansas Blue Cross, said Blueprint Portal now has messaging capabilities to send general information directly to members who are signed in. Hankins explained that the new in-app messaging creates another method for sharing information with members about their benefits while allowing Arkansas Blue Cross to track which messages resonate with members the most in the portal to fine-tune future communications.  

Messages on the platform could include topics like reminders to get an annual flu shot, notifications about available benefits such as telehealth point solutions for diabetes or behavioral health, tips about covered preventive care or how to find more affordable alternatives to emergency rooms for non-emergency visits.  

The scarcest commodity: attention 

Ben McVay, director of marketing and engagement for Arkansas Blue Cross, said the new functionality is part of a larger strategy to enhance the member experience and help members to learn how to get the most value from their benefits.  

“People are bombarded with so many emails, texts, ads, posts and other distractions of digital life, our task as health communicators is to break through that noise to deliver information members appreciate,” McVay said.  

Delivering value, not distractions 

“At Arkansas Blue Cross, our strategy centers on earning our members’ attention with quality content that reaches them where they are, via whatever platform they prefer,” he explained. “We don’t want to be the loudest or the most frequent voice our members hear. Instead, we prioritize messaging with high-value content. This approach builds member trust that the information we share merits their attention.”  

McVay said Arkansas Blue Cross member communications focus on messaging that drives up the value of their health plan, improves their family’s health or helps lower their medical costs. 

Strategically timing engagement 

Sharing these meaningful messages in the portal is a simple upgrade that takes advantage of the timing. When members sign in to our site to check their claims status or see how much they’ve paid towards their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, they can see interesting information or reminders about their health insurance plan.  

Low-friction enhancements 

Hankins explained that while this new messaging is one-directional from Arkansas Blue Cross, members can email customer service easily from Blueprint Portal or interact via live chat to pose their questions.  

“From a member perspective, this upgrade is not a huge or disruptive change, but over time, we expect it to boost engagement and interaction with Blueprint Portal,” Hankins said. “We’re continually building out our capabilities.” 

In June, Arkansas Blue Cross added the ability for members to track authorization requests online in real time, giving members more transparency and control over their care when there’s a prior authorization event. Members can see a list of all their authorization requests, their status (approved, pending, denied, etc.) and click each one for details.  

Hankins said increasing the portal utilization yields engagement that often boosts member satisfaction. He said Arkansas Blue Cross consistently receives high scores for member satisfaction, including when members answer the question, ‘Do you trust your health plan?’  

 “A large percentage of our members want the ability to get answers for themselves without having to contact customer service. Whenever we can encourage members to use Blueprint Portal, it helps improve their experience with their health insurance,” he said, reporting that the latest Blueprint Portal survey shows 69% of members report satisfaction with their recent portal experience. “We’ve found when our members actively engage with us online, they’re more likely to have positive results and be pleased with their employer-sponsored medical plan. We love to see that happen.”