Quantifying Consumer Interest in Medicare Advantage: Development and Usability Study Using Google Trends Data

Internet search data can provide an open, near-real-time means of tracking patterns in MA-related search activity across time and geography, offering insight into how consumer interest fluctuates around enrollment periods. Our analysis reveals repeatable patterns in consumer interest over time that may be useful for contextualizing insurance marketing dynamics of consumers choosing commercial MA over traditional Medicare benefits. We also identified a significant correlation of seasonal trends in searches using terms associated with MA plans that peaked during the annual enrollment period (October-December). Improved accessibility to Medicare resources and directed messaging can bridge information gaps for underserved populations and can lead to more cost-effective decision-making by Medicare-eligible beneficiaries.