The J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study revealed several key industry trends.

Satisfaction varies widely across plans and regions. The national average satisfaction score for commercial health plans is 563 (on a 1,000-point scale), but regional scores range from a high of 594 to a low of 523. This indicates meaningful differences in how members experience service, communication and value across the country.
Member experience drives loyalty and employer decisions. Two in 10 employers cite low employee satisfaction as a top reason for switching health plans. Plans that invest in better engagement, education and service stand to gain both members and employer clients.
Benefit understanding fuels better outcomes. Members who understand their out-of-pocket costs and out-of-network coverage have higher satisfaction and fewer issues such as denials and inaccessible care. Conversely, among members who say they do not completely understand their out-of-network benefits, nearly half had a claim denied, and 56% said their choice of network doctors was not available.
Many high-impact digital tools remain underutilized. Tools such as chronic condition management programs, provider communication features and remote monitoring platforms deliver strong satisfaction gains but remain underused. This points to a critical disconnect between digital availability and member awareness.
Deductibles hit small employers hardest. The average deductible paid by commercial health plan members working for small employers is $2,847, which is 8% more than for those working for midsized employers ($2,630) and 10% more than those working for large employers. Fifty-one percent of small business employees met their deductibles, compared with 52% of midsize business employees and 53% of large business employees.

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Low employee satisfaction prompts employer health plan switches

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