Microsoft Launches Health Insurance CRM

Microsoft executives said their CRM strategy for health insurance companies takes into account the recently passed healthcare legislation which will expand insurance coverage to 32 million Americans, 24 million of whom will be enrolled through exchanges by 2019, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. The drive toward universal health insurance coverage means health insurance companies will operate in an even more competitive marketplace where companies will have to offer quality products and services to take market share and increase revenue.

Dennis Schmuland, Microsoft's director of U.S. health plan industry solutions, said changing regulations will require health plans to focus on winning market share and loyalty through adaptive and efficient sales processes and offering an exceptional customer experience. Health plans must also integrate sales and service processes with each health insurance exchange in 2014.

According to Microsoft, the Health Plan Sales Solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM is an interoperable framework that integrates with existing systems and applications. Partners can pre-integrate their solution to offer health plans a seamless workflow across different applications, and a number of Microsoft's trusted partners, including Ingenix, CosmoCom, VUE Software, and Colibrium Partners, are already supporting this framework.

The platform enables insurers to design and deploy a complete CRM strategy that spans acquisition, retention, health and care management, and service, and it integrates social media sites into the sales, service, and retention processes.

With the platform, payers can reduce custom legacy integration costs and leverage their existing investment in both Microsoft and non-Microsoft technologies. In addition, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution can be deployed wholly on-premises, in Microsoft's cloud computing platform, or as a hybrid solution that provides the flexibility, improved security, and cost management that health plans want.