In the digital design world, UX (User Experience) is about helping people accomplish their goals easily, intuitively, and enjoyably. Yet, despite decades of progress in UX design, one critical corner of the web remains notoriously painful: picking healthcare insurance.
Here’s why shopping for healthcare coverage continues to be one of the worst online experiences — and what can be done to fix it.
Why It’s Broken
1. The Language Is Incomprehensible
Most healthcare insurance sites bombard users with dense jargon: deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and more. The average consumer is left confused.
Good UX principle violated: Speak the user’s language.
2. The Goals Are Unclear
Sites rarely help users clarify what they need from a plan. Instead, users are thrown into dense plan lists without context.
Good UX principle violated: Help users define success and tailor their path accordingly.
3. Comparison Is Virtually Impossible
Plan details are often inconsistent, buried, or poorly formatted, making meaningful comparisons almost impossible.
Good UX principle violated: Make comparison clear and frictionless.
4. Navigation Is a Maze
Shopping requires jumping between multiple portals, filling out forms repeatedly, and tracking different logins and requirements.
Good UX principle violated: Provide a consistent, predictable flow.
5. Trust Is Constantly Undermined
Dark patterns, misleading summaries, and hidden exclusions make users wary of the information they see online.
Good UX principle violated: Build trust through transparency and clarity.
How This Can Be Better
1. Start With the User’s Goals
Before showing a single plan, ask a few smart questions:
- What matters most to you? (Keep my doctor, low monthly costs, frequent prescriptions, peace of mind for emergencies.)
- How often do you visit doctors?
- What’s your preferred pharmacy?
Use this information to prioritize and filter results.
2. Explain Terms Clearly and Contextually
Replace jargon with plain language:
- Hover states or tooltips that define unfamiliar terms in human-friendly ways
- Interactive calculators that show “what this means for you” based on personal information
- Default to visual explanations over text walls
3. Enable Meaningful Side-by-Side Comparison
Build clean comparison tools that focus on what users care about:
- Estimated yearly cost, based on their likely usage
- Which doctors are in-network
- Coverage for key medications
- Limits and exclusions clearly called out
Let users save and compare plans easily — without PDFs.
4. Streamline the Journey
Reduce the number of portals and logins. Guide the user through:
- Input personal and coverage preferences
- See customized plan options
- Compare and select a plan
- Checkout with identity verification — one seamless flow
5. Build Trust With Radical Transparency
- Surface negative details proactively: “This plan has a higher deductible than others.”
- Show verified reviews from real members
- Offer clear disclosures of total cost risk
- Partner with independent organizations to validate plan info
6. Design for Empathy
Above all, remember that users shopping for healthcare are often stressed, confused, or vulnerable. The entire experience should be designed with empathy:
- Friendly language
- Supportive tone
- Helpful, guided flows
- Easy ways to contact a human if needed
Final Thought
Choosing healthcare should not feel like trying to decipher an ancient code. With thoughtful design, personalized experiences, and a human-first approach, healthcare UX can finally catch up to the standards of other industries.
It’s not just about better websites — it’s about helping people make decisions that directly affect their health, finances, and peace of mind. And they deserve a lot better.