Simplicity in the healthcare industry is on life support. This is one of the findings from Siegel+Gale’s recently released 2011 Global Brand Simplicity Index, which articulates the across-the-board demand for simplicity in various industries. According to the survey, health insurance ranked 24th in a field of 25 industries. Complexity exacts a heavy toll in an industry challenged by escalating costs, strict regulation and an undifferentiated marketplace.

It’s a common tale. Your members call into the contact center because they [pick one]: (1) Received an explanation of benefits, which denied a claim for a service they believed they were covered for – “How is emergency care on the weekend different than visiting my doctor during the week?" (2) Received an invoice from their primary care physician for what they thought were routine services – “We signed up for ‘wellness’ so why did the doctor send me a bill for my son’s back-to-school yearly checkup?”