Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/568709
49 PAYER ISSUES PAYER ISSUES does not have to click "next page." In large, bold print, Oscar's FAQ web page states: "Insurance is confusing. Oscar makes it simple," and its subway ads promise to deliver "health insurance that won't make your head explode," adding, "and if it does, you're covered," according to Fortune. 5. e health insurer's eccentric name, cheeky car- toon branding and promise to make health insurance simple targets a young, digitally savvy market. "e causal, personal tone of Oscar's messaging stands in stark contrast to faceless, corporate sensibility of tra- ditional health insurance companies," Fortune wrote in April. 6. However, Oscar's novelty could make winning the trust of its customers challenging. "As a new company inserting itself into an industry full of incumbents with household names, we are working hard to gain the trust of the people in New York and New Jersey," Mr. Schlosser told Fortune. 7. Like all start-ups, Oscar has experienced growing pains. Last summer, an Oscar user complained to the media about expensive bills from the insurer for med- ical care that was supposed to be covered, according to Fortune. While this sort of complaint is not unusu- al for insurers in general, Oscar's entire marketing campaign promotes an easy, surprise-free experience. Aer a bout of criticism, Mr. Schlosser admitted Os- car failed to adequately communicate how deductibles and healthcare plans work to its members. 8. However, in December 2014, aer 18 months in business, Oscar's CEO told Fortune he is less phased by the complexity of insurance policies than he is by the unethical pricing practices from healthcare providers, calling the billing tactics employed by many providers "obviously fraud." Price inflation may have been less palpable when employers covered healthcare costs, but as more individuals purchase their own plans under the Affordable Care Act, there is a "total disregard that the member has cost-sharing there," adding, "that audacity is totally shocking and mind-blowing." 9. e company differentiates itself as predominantly web-based, a nod toward the digitally-connected mil- lennial generation. According to Wired, Mr. Schlosser said it is this holistic approach to technology that lends Oscar a competitive advantage. "Just fixing the user experience won't be enough. We went to great lengths to create an incredibly close relationship be- tween our technology and physicians." Oscar's efforts to better align physicians and technology has yield- ed some positive outcomes. For example, about 60 percent of Oscar members who have bronchitis have used the telemedicine feature to get a diagnosis and treatment, according to Wired. 10. Oscar offers its members an array of additional perks, raising the bar for other insurance companies, according to Wired. Members have around-the-clock access to free televisits with physicians, free checkups and cash incentives for getting a flu shot. Earlier this year, Oscar partnered with Misfit Wearable to offer each member of its health plans a free wearable device. e insurer pays members $1 for every day they walk a targeted number of steps. According to Fortune, roughly two-thirds of Oscar members have participated in the program, walking a combined 2.5 billion steps since December 2014, Mr. Schlosser said. n