Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Management

Advisor

Dr. Branford McAllister

Abstract

Customer satisfaction in the health insurance industry remains low compared to other industries, resulting in financial losses for health insurers. Increasing customer satisfaction has a positive effect on financial performance in other industries, indicating that the health insurance industry may also benefit from increasing customer satisfaction. The theoretical foundation for this study was relationship-marketing, a principle of the social exchange theory. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to test the effects of health insurance literacy, customer engagement, and relationship-marketing as independent variables on customer satisfaction as the dependent variable. The research question examined the influence of the factors on customer satisfaction among consumers engaging in health insurance decisions. A correlational design was employed using the Antecedents to Customer Satisfaction Survey, data from 99 parishioners and community health fair participants in Southern California who purchased health insurance through the Covered California marketplace, and multiple linear regression. The key finding was that a model of three predictor variables (relationship-marketing, age, associate’s degree as the highest level of education) and one two-factor interaction (relationship-marketing and age) explained 49% of the variation in customer satisfaction. This study may contribute to positive social change by informing insurers in their strategic planning, communication, and change efforts in promoting effective use of health insurance plans among customers, leading to increased wellness outcomes for U.S. society.

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