A new class of health plan leaders is emerging, distinguished by their ability to deliver clear communication, digital convenience, and meaningful member support, according to J.D. Power. All of which are important aspects for employers to consider to remain competitive in the job market.

J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study, released last week, found that while overall satisfaction with commercial health plans declined slightly year over year, there are widening performance gaps across brands, “making the member experience a key competitive differentiator.”

The study, now in its 19th year, measures satisfaction among members of 147 health plans in 22 regions nationwide based on eight core dimensions: ability to receive health services how and when wanted, digital channels, ease of doing business, helps save time and money, people, product/coverage offerings, resolving problems or complaints, and trust.

This year’s study is based on responses from 39,797 commercial health plan members and was fielded from September 2024 through March 2025.

“The findings reflect broader industry pressures, as plans respond to rising expectations around cost transparency, digital access, and personalized service,” J.D. Power wrote in a press release about the study.

According to the study, the national average satisfaction score for commercial health plans is 563, on a 1,000-point scale.

Twenty percent of employers cite low employee satisfaction as a top reason for switching health plans; plans that invest in better engagement, education, and service stand to gain both members and employer clients, according to J.D. Power.

Of members who said they don’t completely understand their out-of-network benefits, 48% said they had a claim denied, and 56% said their choice of network doctors wasn’t available.

“Brand performance gaps in the commercial health insurance market are no longer subtle—they’re widening in ways that directly affect satisfaction, retention, and competitive strength,” said Caitlin Moling, J.D. Power’s senior director of global healthcare intelligence, in the release. “Leading plans are setting themselves apart by delivering clarity, digital convenience, and member-first communication. Others are falling behind as trust erodes, digital tools go underutilized, and members struggle to understand their coverage.”

Richie Seaberry, Decisely’s vice president of enterprise sales, pointed to the study in a LinkedIn post, citing the takeaway as “clarity and access matter more than ever.”

He added, “Our employee benefit programs are built to solve this… Employees know how their benefits work, where they can go, and what they’ll pay. When employees trust their benefits, they engage with them. When they engage, they stay.”

According to the study, regional average satisfaction scores range from 594 to 523, indicating “meaningful differences” in how members experience service, communication, and value across the country.

Members who understand their out-of-pocket costs and out-of-network coverage reported higher satisfaction and fewer issues, such as denials and inaccessible care.

J.D. Power also found that many high-impact digital tools remain underutilized.

“Tools like chronic condition management programs, provider communication features, and remote monitoring platforms deliver strong satisfaction gains but remain underused,” J.D. Power wrote. “This points to a critical disconnect between digital availability and member awareness.”

As for deductibles, small businesses are hit the hardest. J.D. Power found the average deductible paid by commercial health plan members working for small employers is $2,847, which is 8% more than for those working for midsized employers ($2,630) and 10% more than those working for large employers.

Fifty-one percent of small business employees met their deductibles, compared with 52% of midsize business employees and 53% of large business employees.

J.D. Power also provides the highest-ranking health plans in each of the 22 geographic regions studied:

1. 1. California: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (648), for the 18th consecutive year
   2. Colorado: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (576)
   3. Delaware/West Virginia/Washington D.C.: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia (592)
   4. East South Central: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (608)
   5. Florida: AvMed (638), for the second consecutive year
   6. Heartland: Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield (586)
   7. Illinois/Indiana: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (590), for the second consecutive year
   8. Maryland: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (614), for the fourth consecutive year
   9. Massachusetts: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (565)
   10. Michigan: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (600), for the second consecutive year
   11. Minnesota/Wisconsin: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Wisconsin (561)
   12. Mountain: Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah (580)
   13. New Jersey: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (578), for the second consecutive year
   14. New York: Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. (CDPHP) (634), for the fifth consecutive year
   15. Northeast: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Connecticut (615), for the third consecutive year
   16. Northwest: Providence Health Plan (586)
   17. Ohio: Aetna (583), for the second consecutive year
   18. Pennsylvania: UPMC Health Plan (601), for the second consecutive year
   19. South Atlantic: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (634), for the 16th consecutive year
   20. Southwest: Aetna (579)
   21. Texas: Baylor Scott & White Health Plan (629)
   22. Virginia: Kaiser Foundation Health Plan (660), for the second consecutive year

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) works with Decisely to offer health insurance options to collision repair industry employers.

Benefits include:

• • Competitive pricing and simplified requirements
  • Attractive benefits that boost employee retention and appeal
  • ICHRA, group plans, and voluntary benefits options
  • Healthcare regulation compliance made easy
  • An average annual savings of $500-$1,000 per employee

To find out more, visit the SCRS Benefits Center.

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