Seniors becoming web-savvy

DestinationRx, which provides comparison tools to help consumers evaluate Medicare and drug plan options, has announced an increase in the number of seniors choosing to enroll online and a corresponding decrease in those choosing to enroll via call centers. The company’s analysis shows a 12 percent increase in online enrollment from 2008 to 2009, followed by an 11 percent increase from 2009 to 2010, a 23 percent increase in just two years. For seniors who already had a relationship with the company, 2010 marks the first time that online enrollments exceeded call center enrollments.

According to Toby Rogers, executive VP of DestinationRx, seniors are rapidly adapting to the digital world. “Our experience proves that seniors and their dependents understand and prefer the Internet when shopping for the right plan,” he said. “Shopping online for health insurance has emerged as a major trend across all age groups, not just for the young and healthy.”