mHealth Application User Interface Design for Improving Transparency of Healthcare Insurance Spending Progress

Abstract

Health insurance terminology is often considered confusing by the general public, which leads to making healthcare decisions based on incomplete understandings. This work explores how mobile interfaces can improve insurance literacy and spending transparency. Through a three-phase study with 26 participants enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance, we examined comprehension of fundamental insurance concepts. Our pilot study identified key confusion points, informing the development of a prototype interface iteratively improved through comparison testing. Results reveal that effective mobile interfaces enhance insurance literacy by separating complex concepts into distinct visual components, providing contextual explanations through strategically placed tooltips, and balancing comprehensive information with progressive disclosure. The final design showed substantial improvements in both cost estimation accuracy and user confidence, demonstrating that thoughtfully designed interfaces can transform abstract insurance concepts into comprehensible frameworks that empower informed healthcare decisions.

Keywords: mHealth, Human-Centered Design, User Interface, Health Insurance

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006855