We all know that health insurance is one of the most important services a person navigates in their lifetime. Yet far too often, member communications default to dense letters, heavy PDFs, and static web pages that leave members more confused than informed.
The result? Frustrated members, overwhelmed call centers, and a health insurance member experience that falls far short of expectations.
Research from J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study confirms the stakes: clear communication and digital convenience are now the defining factors separating top-performing health plans from the rest.
The good news is that leading health insurance companies are doing something about it – and personalized video is a big part of how they’re closing the gap. Here are six of the most impactful ways companies are using video content to make the health insurance member experience simpler, more human, and more effective.
1. Welcoming and onboarding new members with confidence
The first 30 to 90 days of membership are the highest-risk period for confusion, dissatisfaction, and unnecessary service calls. When members don’t understand their plan, they disengage. And disengaged members cost more to serve and are more likely to churn.
Personalized onboarding videos change that dynamic by greeting each new member with a video that speaks directly to their situation: their specific plan type (HMO, PPO, Medicare Advantage), their deductible, their network, and their next steps. Instead of handing a new member a static welcome packet, health plans can deliver a “made for me” video experience that builds confidence right from the start.
Aetna has done exactly this, orchestrating personalized video experiences at key onboarding moments to guide members through commercial health plan comparisons, high-deductible benefits education, and Medicare onboarding. The result was a significant lift in Net Promoter Score alongside measurable cost savings, including fewer call center contacts from video viewers and lower medical costs from reduced out-of-network visits.
Example: Aetna benefits enrollment video
2. Making EOBs actually understandable
The Explanation of Benefits document – members receive it, stare at it, and then call their insurer to ask what it means. That cycle drains contact center resources and erodes trust.
Personalized EOB walkthrough videos flip the script. Rather than sending a static statement, insurers can send each member a short video that explains their specific claim line-by-line: what was billed, what the plan covered, why they owe what they owe, and what their next step should be. Costs, coinsurance, deductible status, and out-of-pocket maximums all get explained in plain language, not insurance-speak.
This is one of the highest-ROI use cases in the health insurance member experience space. According to SundaySky’s healthcare customer data, health insurance providers that used video-powered experiences saw up to a 40% reduction in inbound calls, a direct reflection of how much confusion EOBs typically generate.
3. Guiding members through claims status and next steps
Few moments in the member journey carry more emotional weight than waiting on a claim. When the status is unclear and next steps are murky, members feel vulnerable and frustrated. So they call. A lot.
Proactive, personalized video updates on claim status can help eliminate the uncertainty that drives those calls. Instead of waiting for members to check the portal or dial into a queue, insurers can deliver a short video that tells each member:
- exactly where their claim stands
- what documentation may still be needed
- and what they can expect next.
When claims are denied, a clear video explanation of the reason (and the appeals process) is far more effective than a form letter.
This kind of proactive communication is a direct driver of member trust at some of the highest-stress moments in the member relationship, which is exactly the territory health insurers need to own.
4. Simplifying open enrollment decision-making
Open enrollment is time-bound, high-volume, and deeply confusing for many members. Without clear guidance, members default to inaction or choose the wrong plan for their needs. Both outcomes hurt member outcomes and insurer performance.
Personalized open enrollment videos meet members where they are. Using current plan data, household demographics, and behavioral signals, insurers can deliver a customized video that walks each member through their options, highlights meaningful differences between plans, and explains what’s actually changing versus staying the same. For members who qualify for subsidies or Marketplace options, video can explain eligibility and next steps in a way that no static flyer ever could.
A recent survey by HealthEdge found that 88% of consumers say their satisfaction would improve if health plans used their preferred communication channels and delivered relevant, personalized content. Video, tailored to the individual, is one of the most powerful ways to deliver on that expectation during enrollment season.
5. Making renewals a retention moment, not a risk
Annual renewals are a critical retention inflection point. Generic notices about upcoming changes don’t always inspire confidence, and when members don’t understand what’s changing, they’re more likely to shop around or disengage entirely.
Personalized renewal videos help turn a high-anxiety moment into a trust-building one. Each member can receive a video that explains exactly what’s staying the same in their plan, what’s changing in their premiums or benefits, and what action (if any) they need to take. Clear CTAs embedded in the video guide members toward renewal or plan selection with the context they need to act confidently.
The outcomes here are straightforward: higher renewal rates, fewer renewal-related service calls, and stronger long-term retention. For Medicare Advantage (MA) plans in particular, this matters enormously. Research shows that among MA members with high digital satisfaction scores, 85% said they would “definitely” renew their plan.
6. Driving adoption of digital tools and self-service capabilities
Health plans are investing heavily in member portals and mobile apps, yet some of those tools go underused because members either don’t know they exist or don’t understand how to use them. Once again, J.D. Power’s data shows that mobile app usage among commercial health plan members rose from 31% to 37% between 2024 and 2025; real progress, but still significant room to grow.
Personalized video is a natural complement to digital self-service adoption. A short “here’s what you can do in your portal” video, tailored to each member’s plan and digital engagement history, makes adoption feel relevant and achievable rather than generic. Video walkthroughs of specific features (ID card access, cost estimators, telehealth scheduling) can be triggered at exactly the right moment in the member journey to nudge action.
SundaySky customer UnitedHealthcare has used this approach to simplify onboarding and claims processing for members, resulting in higher engagement, improved retention, and better utilization of healthcare benefits. As their VP of Member Experience and Engagement put it: “We’re using SundaySky to make a very complicated experience simple.”
Example: UnitedHealthcare member portal & services video
The common thread: relevance at scale
What makes personalized video so effective across all of these use cases is simple: it makes every member feel like the communication was made for them. Because it was.
Every plan type, every claim, every renewal, every enrollment decision is different. Static content can’t honor that reality. Personalized video can, and it does it at unlimited scale, whether a health plan is reaching 100 members or 10,000 (or more).
SundaySky’s enterprise video personalization platform is purpose-built for exactly this kind of work. With built-in AI features that accelerate video creation from concept to launch, video personalization powered by member and behavioral data, and real-time rendering that keeps every video current and on-brand, health insurers can transform the member experience without adding operational complexity or compliance risk.
The question isn’t whether personalized video improves the health insurance member experience. The question is where your plan starts.
Ready to see what personalized video looks like for your members? Request a demo or take a platform tour to explore what’s possible.
