Transcript Messaging_Webinar_3-26-09

Communicating the Value of
Health Programs During
Tough
Economic
Times
Health
Care
Messaging
Health Care MessagingWebinar
Webinar
March 2009
March 2009
March 2009
Session Goals
What Stakeholders are Saying
Messages for Your Situation
How to Create and Test Messages
What Stakeholders are Saying
What’s on the Airwaves
Health care
and the
economy
The time is
now
Choice
and
Competition
What President Obama is Saying
“…We can no longer afford to put health care
reform on hold. Already, we have done more to
advance the cause of health care reform in the
last thirty days than we have in the last decade.”
“Healthcare reform is no longer just a moral
imperative, it is a fiscal imperative. If we want to
create jobs and rebuild our economy, then we
must address the crushing cost of healthcare this
year, in this administration.”
What Advocates are Saying
“President Obama is absolutely correct that the nation’s economy and the
federal budget deficit cannot be fixed without meaningful health care reform.
It is essential that the reform process begin immediately so that legislation
can be adopted as early as possible…”
- Ron Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA
“We challenge the rest of Congress to join with the President…and to
support reform that puts our families' health and the health of our nation's
economy before insurance and drug company profits.”
- Richard Kirsch, National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America
Now
What Members of Congress
are Saying
“Health care reform is not a distraction from addressing the economy.
Health care reform is central to restoring America’s economy.
Comprehensive health reform legislation must be part of any
successful economic recovery plan.”
- Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana)
"I want to make sure if we have a national system of
health care it is going to deliver the same thing in Iowa
as it does in California, because for 40 years it didn't."
- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
What the Health Care Industry
is Saying
“Our nation cannot achieve economic security if we don’t have health care
security…And alarmingly, more and more Americans are likely to be without
access to affordable health coverage as unemployment rates rise and businesses
struggle to stay afloat.”
- Billy Tauzin, President and CEO, PhRMA
"All Americans should have health insurance and high quality, affordable health
care, regardless of employment or health status…Proposed investments in
prevention and wellness, quality improvements and training to address health
professional work-force shortages are down payments on a healthier nation.”
- Nancy H. Nielsen, President, American Medical Association
What Insurers are Saying
“This time we’re coming to the table with solutions, we want to be part of the
process, we pledged that to the president. We’re calling for new regulations on our
industry to make sure everyone has guaranteed access to coverage.”
- Mike Tuffin, Executive Vice President, America’s Health Insurance Plans
"I'm very encouraged by what's going on now…My impression is that there's been a
real openness to reach out to diverse interests, not leaving anyone out—which is
how a lot of people felt back in the 1990s…They seem to have learned the lessons
of what not to do this time."
- Bill Gradison, former head of the Health Insurance Association of America,
which funded the 1994 "Harry and Louise" ad campaign
What Business Leaders
are Saying
“If we’re going to recover from this economy and we’re going to get the economy
going and the budget problem solved we cannot do it without solving the health
care crisis…Just about every plan out there is better than doing nothing at this
point…”
- John Arensmeyer, Founder, Small Business Majority
“We know where everyone stood. But they don't stand there
anymore…We're going to get some kind of an agreement here,
whether it's two-thirds of what everybody wants or three-quarters
of what everybody wants or who knows.”
-Thomas J. Donohue, President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Messages for Your Situation
Economic
recession
CHIP
reauth. &
stimulus
funding
National vs.
state reform
State
budget
crises
State of
Play
Expanding
public
health
programs
Rising Costs and Economy
Americans are feeling the squeeze of rising
health care costs like never before. As the
economy declines and health care costs
continue to rise, millions of hard-working
families are forced to choose between getting
the health care they need and paying for rent
or groceries. In the past year, more than half
of all American households (53%) have cut
back on health care due to cost. We need to
get health care costs under control so that all
Americans have access to the care they need
when they need it.
Fixing Health Care = Fixing Economy
Fixing the economy and fixing health care
go hand in hand. When health spending
makes up 17% of our GDP, it is clear that
the symptoms of our broken health care
system—skyrocketing premiums, millions
of uninsured, wasteful spending and
uncoordinated care—have a direct impact
on our economy. Fixing health care doesn’t
take a back seat to addressing our
economic recovery; it is a crucial part of it.
Loss of Jobs = Loss of Insurance
Millions of Americans are just a pink slip
away from losing their health insurance.
The unemployment rate has jumped to the
highest level in 20 years. As a result of job
losses in just the past three months, it is
estimated that at least one million
Americans will lose their health coverage.
Now more than ever, we must make sure
that Americans have quality, affordable
care to keep our families healthy and
financially secure.
Strained State Budgets
With health care costs soaring, the economy
sinking deeper into recession and state and local
budgets feeling the strain, fixing our health care
system is more important than ever. State leaders,
working hand in hand with the federal government,
can provide the leadership and resources to get the
process moving. Together, we can work to rein in
costs, focus on prevention and quality, and ensure
there are affordable coverage options for all
[STATE RESIDENTS].
Need for Bipartisan Support
Fixing our health care system won’t be
easy. And not everyone is going to get
exactly what they want. But if we all work
together—patients and doctors, businesses
and government, Democrats and
Republicans—we can build on what works
in the current system and fix what’s broken.
That means reining in costs, focusing on
quality care and ensuring that Americans
have choices—in plans and in doctors—so
they can decide what’s best for them.
Covering the Uninsured
Forty-six million Americans are currently living without
health insurance. The Institute of Medicine reports that
such a high rate of uninsurance creates a ripple effect in
communities. When the uninsured have nowhere else to
turn, they seek care in an emergency room—and the
rest of us pay for it through higher insurance premiums.
And when premiums go up, more families lose their
health coverage because they can no longer afford it.
We need to reform health care and stop this vicious
cycle so that all Americans can get the care they need
when they need it.
Appeal to Small Business
National
messaging
Statefocused
message
Health care premiums are rising at an incredible pace.
Businesses—particularly small businesses—are finding it
harder and harder to keep up, and are forced to decide
between passing those costs on to their employees or no
longer providing their employees with coverage.
Small businesses are vital to our state’s economy.
Implementing reforms that foster the growth of small
businesses by enabling them to provide coverage to their
employees is an investment in our working families and in a
strong economy.
Promote Enrollment
Call 1(877) KIDS-NOW
to find out if your kids
are eligible for low-cost
or free health
coverage.
Families earning up to
$40,000 a year or more
may qualify for health
coverage. Call or visit
our Web site today.
Strengthen Your Message
With Proof Points
Health insurance premiums have risen four times faster
than wages over the past six years. (Kaiser)
By 2016, at least half of American households will need
to spend more than 45% of their income to buy health
insurance. (New America Foundation)
In the past three months alone, the unemployment rate
has risen from 6.7% to 8.1%. As a result, it is estimated
that at least one million Americans will lose their health
coverage. (Department of Labor/Kaiser)
Strengthen Your Message
With Proof Points
Despite the fact that economic news has continued to
worsen, roughly six in 10 Americans (62%) say the
country’s economic problems make it more important than
ever to take on health care reform. (Kaiser)
In the past year, more than half of all American
households (53%) have cut back on health care due to
cost. (Kaiser)
In 2007, 41% of working-age Americans had a problem
paying medical bills or had medical debt. (Families USA)
How to Create and
Test Messages
Value of Core Messages
A core set of messages is important in that it:
Sets you apart from other groups
Works in a variety of communications vehicles (e.g., press releases,
presentations, talking points)
Drives your agenda by allowing you to control communications and
enhance relationships with your target audiences
Bridges what your audience already knows and where you are trying to
take them
Adds credibility, especially when driven by research
Steps to Creating Messages
Establish key objectives
Determine target audiences
Draft core messages
Conduct new research and/or polling, or review existing research
and circulate messages to trusted reviewers
Revise and finalize messages to reflect research and
polling results
Revisit messages periodically given the legislative agenda, reform
climate, new research, etc.
Creating Messages
Write messages with your audience in mind
Think like your audience thinks
Use language that your audience will understand
Steps for Testing Messages
Hire a research firm to conduct focus groups and/or
administer surveys
Develop and/or finalize messages for testing
Work with the research firm to draft a discussion guide for
the groups
Convene focus groups to determine which messages
resonate best with your target audience
Narrow down or adjust messages based on feedback
received in focus groups
Testing Messages on a Budget
Internal Testing
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Conduct internal testing
among a group of
stakeholders
Use current, proven
messages from other
stakeholders and build from
there
Themes and Words that Work
Quality, Affordable Health Care for All
Choice, Control, Peace of Mind
What About Me; The American Dream; Fairness; Shared
Responsibility; Government as Watchdog
Economic Situation, Cost and Quality
Tips and Tricks
Draw a connection between health care and the economic well-being
of families as well as the country as a whole
Use plain language and talk in terms of kitchen-table issues
Make arguments for reform personal rather than theoretical
Use phrases that test well, including quality, affordable health care
(rather than universal coverage), prevention (rather than wellness)
and guaranteed (rather than required)
Use proof points to develop and support your messages
Sources for Message Development
• Alliance for Health Reform: www.allhealth.org
• Commonwealth Fund: www.cmwf.org
• Families USA: www.familiesusa.org
• HealthReform.gov: www.healthreform.gov
• Herndon Alliance: www.herndonalliance.org
• Kaiser Family Foundation: www.kff.org
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: www.rwjf.org
• Small Business Majority: www.smallbusinessmajority.org
Questions & Answers