ready, set, enroll: what every health organization should know about aca public education and...

ACA COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES WEBINAR

Introductions

Michael Freeman Executive Vice President, Healthcare Leadership Council

Ginette Magana National Partner Engagement Director, Enroll America

Vlad Cartwright Executive Vice President, SevenTwenty Strategies

Jeff Oldham Managing Director, SevenTwenty Strategies


Framing the Discussion

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)

29 million Americans are slated to obtain private coverage through health insurance exchanges by 2019.

12 million are expected to gain coverage through Medicaid and CHIP programs.

With the upcoming deadline for implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many organizations and individuals with a vested interest in its success, are struggling with ensuring that the program will be accepted and supported by the general public.

BLUEPRINT Look no further than the pharmaceutical industry's ongoing campaign to ensure continued public support and participation in and around the Medicare Part D program.


Learn From The Past

Draw on the federal government's successful launch of Medicare Part D, a major national health coverage program that became law in December 2003.

Part D encountered significant technical, educational and coordination challenges at its outset, but eight years later, the public views the program as a success.

Not unlike ACA, The Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) was passed in a highly volatile, politically polarizing and partisan fashion.

CHALLENGES Educating their target audience (seniors) about the new benefit. Assisting them in enrolling during date specific periods. Conveying their approval for the program to the general public and most importantly, their elected officials and the media at large.


Solutions

TACTICS USED Measure sentiment/research/test messages. Implement a robust public outreach and education campaign partnering with trusted, community-based organizations to ensure enrollment. Conduct an aggressive national paid and earned media campaign to ensure ongoing public support. Work with HHS & other agencies to create a simple yet comprehensive web portal that seniors could use to enroll. Continued, ongoing educational efforts to generate support.


From Past To Present

How will we overcome our current challenges?

With ACA's initial enrollment period on the horizon, those with a vested interested in its success would do well to emulate the pharmaceutical industry's strategies for a successful rollout.


Connecting Uninsured Americans with Health Coverage

The 2013-2014 Opportunity


Contents

Enroll America’s Mission

Messaging to Reach Uninsured Americans

Get Covered America Campaign


Mission: Maximize coverage for uninsured Americans

1. Educate and Engage 2. Mobilize to Enroll 3. Work with Partners to

Ensure System works

Enroll America will execute a national education and enrollment campaign

Successful implementation of ACA requires all-out effort by government, not-for-profits, insurers, hospitals, community health centers, health providers, and others


One Fifth of the Uninsured Live in the Top 13 Counties and Half Live in the Top 114 Counties

Uninsured by State

<230K 230K - 600K

600K - 1.1M

1.1M+

Number of Uninsured

CA

TX

FL

NY IL

GA NC OH PA NJ MI AZ

VA

Rest of the U.S.

67% of uninsured live in 13 states

Source: Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March 2011 and 2012


One Fifth of the Uninsured Live in the Top 13 Counties and Half Live in the Top 114 Counties

402K 408K 419K 434K 445K 521K 531K 657K 675K 762K 887K

1.1M 2.2M

Queens County, NY Broward County, FL

San Bernardino County, CA Clark County, NV

Riverside County, CA San Diego County, CA

Orange County, CA Maricopa County, AZ

Dallas County, TX Miami-‐Dade County, FL

Cook County, IL Harris County, TX

Los Angeles County, CA

Uninsured by County

10% of the uninsured live in just 4 counties (LA, Harris, Cook, Miami)

20% of the uninsured live in top 13 counties (Top 4 + Next 9)

50% live in the top 114 counties (3.8% of total

counties in the US)


The Uninsured are a Diverse Group

12

Age Gender

Ethnicity Income (as % of Poverty Level

Male 53%

Female 47%

<138 51%

139-400 38%

19-25 17%

<18 16%

26-34 21%

35-54 34%

55-64 12%

400+ 10%

White 45%

Latino 32%

AfAm 15%

Other 8%

Source: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid & The Uninsured, October 2012


Facts About Coverage and Financial Help Are Critical

Messaging will raise awareness by highlighting 4 key facts

1.  All insurance plans will have to cover doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, maternity care, emergency room care, and prescriptions

2.  You might be able to get financial help to pay for a health insurance plan

3.  If you have a pre-existing condition, insurance plans cannot deny you coverage

4.  All insurance plans will have to show costs and what is covered in simple language

13

89% of respondents identified one of these as the most important fact to communicate

Source: Enroll America, November 2012


Health Insurance Marketplaces Will Offer the Coverage Option Opportunities for All Americans

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•  Health Insurance Marketplaces open October 1, 2013, allowing consumers to purchase and enroll in health insurance, with coverage beginning January 1, 2014

•  Marketplace certify qualified health plans and provide an easy way to compare options

•  Continuum of coverage: Low income Americans (<138% of Federal Poverty Level) qualify for Medicaid, Americans at 138-400% FPL qualify for the Marketplace with tax credits, and Americans above 400% FPL qualify for the Marketplace or private plans

•  Average subsidy for each subsidized enrollee is $5,510*

Health Coverage in 2014

Marketplace Open Oct 1 to Mar 31

Sign up on website and select coverage

Coverage begins Jan 1

How to Enroll

*Source: CBO, February 2013


Enroll America Will Execute National Education and Enrollment Campaign Using Cutting-Edge Strategies and Tactics

15

Grassroots Organizing

Digital + Social Media

Data & Results Driven

Community Engagement

Strategic Partners

Earned Media

Paid Media

Surrogates


Focus Resources in Targeted Areas Investment Decisions Based on Research and Analytics

67% of the uninsured live in 13 states and 50% live in just 114 counties

*May be subject to change


Campaign Driven by Guiding Principles

17

Data-driven and metrics-based

Grassroots-focused

Coalition-based

Committed to cutting-edge online organizing and social media tactics and tools

Building a narrative of success

1

2

3

4

5


Get Covered America Campaign Will Target Key Audiences

Uninsured Americans

Influencers General

Public

Campaign will conduct outreach and messaging to specific groups

Core Audiences

18


Enroll America Will Work with an Array of Partners

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Sampling of Partners

Many stakeholders play a role in a successful enrollment effort, including:

Retailers, consumer groups, hospitals, insurers, faith-based groups, business, labor, civic groups, community health centers, drug companies, and grassroots volunteers

ACA COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES WEBINAR 20

1. Capacity Building and Education

2. Marketplace Opens Phase 1 Enrollment

3. Coverage Begins & Phase 2 Enrollment

4. Learning and Capacity Building

5. Marketplace Opens

•  Hire additional leadership, recruit volunteer leaders and increase collaboration with partners.

•  Marketplace opens October 1st •  Refine Field tactics and build strong media, grassroots and

partner relationships.

•  Coverage begins on January 1st •  Continue large-scale enrollment push to complete first year

of enrollment

•  Debrief, learn lessons from past year, prepare for October

•  Marketplace open from Oct. 15th to Dec. 7th •  Launch full effort w/ media, events, grassroots

June-Sept ‘13

October - Dec ‘13

Jan ‘14 - March ‘14

April - Sept ‘14

Oct – Dec ‘14

Phase Dates Priorities

Campaign Timeline Builds to Marketplace Openings


The Need for Effective Health Campaigns: Affordable Care Act

Kaiser April poll: 58% of uninsured not sure how ACA affects them 40% of overall U.S. population not sure ACA is still law of the land

Health reform law still controversial: 36% approve, 54% disapprove (CBS News poll – July 2013)

Implementation problematic, confusing Some states implementing insurance exchanges, some refusing, some not sure if they can make deadline. Medicaid expansion not uniformly embraced by states. Concerns about employers ending health coverage, sending workers into health exchanges.


Medicare Part D Campaign Research

Mass communications – TV advertising, direct mail – do not sufficiently inform target population

Potential enrollees want detailed information from a credible source Most want to hear from a doctor or pharmacist

Overly simplistic messages, cute slogans considered insulting When people are spending their money, they want hard facts

All outreach needed to steer clear of political persuasion


Going Retail with the Campaign

Medicare Today campaign Over 400 national, regional and local organizations Seniors Health providers Employers Caregivers Retail centers Faith-based groups

Community organizers recruited in all 50 states


Medicare Today: Lessons Learned

Recruit partners who can reach all sectors of your target population

Expand your reach – train the trainers

Don’t make people come to you. Go to them. Grocery store and pharmacy events Senior center programs Congressional town halls Hospitals and doctor’s offices Focus on local, not national, media. Consumer-friendly “news you can use” Develop state-based news hooks

Create attention-getting materials, videos


Health Access America: Reaching the Uninsured

Ten test cities linking uninsured with public, private coverage resources

Cleveland

Memphis

Nashville

Columbia, SC

Baton Rouge

Corpus Christi

Saginaw

Las Vegas

Las Cruces, NM

Raleigh, NC


Evaluating the Campaign

Did people sign up for the program? Over 85 percent of Medicare beneficiaries have some form of prescription drug coverage Most difficult challenge – reaching low-income seniors with information about financial assistance

Monitoring through annual surveys Do you have drug coverage? Is the program making your prescriptions affordable? Is the enrollment system easy to use? Ask for specific positives, negatives


Health Access America: Target Populations

Segments of the population with disproportionate uninsured rates

Small business owners and employees

Families with children

Young people

Latino Americans


Research Shows Health Coverage Outreach Need, Challenges

Health insurance information not easily accessible

54% said they did not know of a reliable source for information about coverage

73% of families with children

66% said they weren’t likely to look for information because it would be unaffordable anyway

Health insurance not an easy sell Difficult to convince people, if healthy, to spend money on something they don’t currently have

Different than Medicare outreach – where value of prescription drugs for seniors is more clear


Communications Research Findings

Communication must come from a credible source Corporate interests instinctively distrusted. Best sources are experts without company ties.

Contact must be repeated and persuasive A simple, objective just-the-facts approach doesn’t move people to act

Messages about affordability have to be handled with tact Wrong language can sound patronizing, condescending


Health Access America: Lessons Learned

Know your environment What programs are in place? Who are leading public, private players? Is their low-income financial assistance available?

Build a strong partner network Local individuals, organizations can reach more people, achieve quicker credibility than Washington, D.C.

Leverage already-existing events Much energy can be wasted trying to create enrollment “events.” More sensible to piggyback on something already in place.

Localize your message Local spokespeople, local verbiage , local icons. Difficult to nationalize a campaign with personal impact.


Health Access America: Lessons Learned

Utilize the local media Community-based media gets closer attention. National sources get glossed over.

One-on-one counseling is vital On personal financial matters, large group communications set stage. Personal conversation closes the deal.

Make outreach easy Small business owners, parents have little free time. Schedule events accordingly.


Health Access America: Results

1,125 health insurance education events

33,122 attendees

16,405 enrollees

Results underscore the importance of strategic, aggressive outreach to link uninsured Americans with coverage


Learnings from Branded Efforts:

Campaigns for five brands in support of Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and Special Needs Plans in support of education and enrollment

Confirm the findings from Health Access America and Medicare Today efforts

41 Markets covered nationwide with diverse demographic range (age and ethnicity)

Direct contact with target audience in familiar settings with trusted sources is key

Critical to understand how your audiences make decisions and who can ultimately assist in influencing their decision

Taking advantage of existing local events or sponsoring with local partners provides both an audience and credibility

Local organizations and providers key to disseminating information (from a trusted source)


Results of Branded Efforts:

2,054 events

1,200 provider partnerships

Over 3,500 community and faith-based organization partnerships

Millions of print materials distributed through local community and faith-based partnerships

Enrollment in over 90% of target markets exceeded goals for census growth


Would You Like More Information?

To learn more about the services offered by SevenTwenty Strategies contact

Jeff Oldham [email protected] 202.962.3955

This session has been recorded and will be placed at: http://www.720strategies.com/webinars

ready, set, enroll: what every health organization should know about aca public education and...

Economy & Finance