Work
Health Insurance Literacy
for First-Time Enrollees
RESEARCH
2026 · 10 week timeline
CONTEXT
We studied how young adults choose and manage employer-sponsored health insurance the first time they enroll on their own. Using a mixed-methods study, one pattern held across all four methods: the problem isn’t access to information — it’s translation.
MY ROLE
UX Researcher on a team of four, contributing across:
Research Planning
Research Execution
Data Synthesis
Design Opportunities
COLLABORATORS
Natalia Avella · Kate Besel · Eaghan Wright · Carly Zuklin
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Young adults selecting employer-sponsored health insurance for the first time encounter employer-provided resources that fail to establish meaningful insurance literacy. Because most enter enrollment feeling healthy and perceiving little immediate need for care, they move through it quickly and learn only the costs that bill them directly.
Without the resources to evaluate their options based on estimated annual cost, out-of-pocket costs, deductibles, and premiums become the primary factors in decision-making. Most anchor on the cheapest available option and move on quickly, without understanding what their plan covers or what they’ll actually spend across the year.
When they do need care, the portals and cost tools fail to provide the information needed, and coverage gaps surface, often resulting in unexpected bills and avoidance of future treatment.
USER GROUPS
PRIMARY
The First-Time Enrollee
Ages 22–28, typically a recent graduate within the last five years, enrolling in their own employer-sponsored plan for the first time. They are digitally fluent, cost-sensitive, and generally healthy, which makes thorough plan research feel low-priority.
CORE NEEDS
Guidance selecting a plan that actually fits their life and medical needs.
BEHAVIORS
Spends minimal time learning about enrollment and plan selection.
METHODOLOGY
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STUDY SETUP
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METHODS
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PARTICIPANTS
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SYNTHESIS
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INSIGHTS
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INSIGHT / REPLACE WITH A KEY FINDING
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OPPORTUNITY
From research to a clearer experience
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HOW MIGHT WE
How might we…?
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DESIGN EXPLORATION
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