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2009 National Health Care Reform:
Cost of Doing Nothing -v- American Health Care Reform series of
fact sheets
- Premiums will continue
to rise
- The Affordability Factor
- American Reform Trumps
Doing Nothing
American Health Care Reform: What's
Up? Powerpoint Presentation, 9/15
Early summer 2009:
Tell It, Sell It -- Media & Messaging
Phrases that Work...
Phrases that Don't:
Phrases that Work:
• “Health care reform will be a uniquely American
solution.”
• “It’s time to stop playing politics and solve
the health care crisis.” This is more effective than talking
about bipartisanship and taps into the solution-oriented frame.
• “You will be guaranteed the choice of keeping your
current plan including keeping your current doctor, or choose
another private plan, or choose a quality public health insurance
plan.” Or alternatively, “You will have the freedom
to choose to keep your current plan including keeping your current
doctor, or choose another private plan, or choose a quality public
health insurance plan.”
• “You will have the choice of a QUALITY affordable
public health insurance plan.” The word quality is important
when talking about the public health insurance plan option.
• “Health care reform will stop the insurance companies
from denying coverage for an illness you had 5 years ago, or another
pre-existing condition, or because of your age.” Pre-existing
condition reform is the top insurance company reform for people.
• “You and your doctor will make health care decisions
rather than insurance company CEOs.” It helps to go after
insurance company CEOs and their profits.
• “With health care reform, heath care will be AFFORDABLE—it
will cost less and you will get more. The goal is quality affordable
health care for all Americans.”
• “You will have the peace of mind of knowing you
will always have quality, affordable health care.”
Phrases that Don’t Work:
• Politically polarizing language such as talking about
the Republicans’ failure to address the health care crisis
or using phrases like “unregulated greed” to describe
insurance companies (references to “excessive profits”
are better).
• Don’t say “universal” health care. Talk
about “quality, affordable health care for all.”
• Don’t compare the U.S. to other countries, or assert
that America does not provide quality health care. (i.e. Do not
cite statistics that say the U.S. is 37th in the world in health
outcomes).
• Don’t just say “public plan” because
it sounds too much like “welfare.” Say “Choice
of quality, affordable public health insurance plan.”
• Don’t just remind people of insurance company bureaucracy.
It is much more effective to invoke the specter of insurance companies
DENYING care based on an illness you had 5 years ago, or based
on your age.
• Don’t just say “Bring costs down.” It
is better to say “health care reform will make heath care
AFFORDABLE—it will cost less and you will get more.”
Messages that WORK!
The messages below
in the right column have been proven to work in overcoming objections
(left column). Also, use the message in the right column to write
a letter to editor, or post to a blog, or in a presentation.
| Objection |
Message that Overcomes
the Objection |
| You are at a dinner party when someone at the table says,
“I just read that the AMA came out against a public
plan. If doctors don’t think this is a good idea, why
is the President advocating for it?” How will you
respond? |
“Tennesseans know it’s just wrong
for people who work hard and pay taxes to go without affordable,
quality health care. Many of us are finding it harder to afford
the health care we now have for ourselves and our families.
And too many others of us have lost our jobs and our health
care. We need the choice of a public health insurance option
as a guaranteed backup that will always be there to ensure
quality affordable health care coverage is available no matter
what happens. That’s the peace of mind hard-working
Americans deserve.” |
| You have just spoken at a Town Hall style meeting about
health reform. Your first question from a member of the audience
is: “I like my health coverage and my doctors. I’m
worried that all this talk about reform will mean that I will
loose what I have.” How do you respond? |
“Actually what health reform
will mean for you and your family is affordable choices you
can count on—if you like your current coverage and doctors
you can keep them. For others in the audience who would prefer
change, you can choose from another private insurer or a quality
public plan. Whatever coverage you decide is right for you
and your family, you will have the peace of mind knowing that
insurance company abuses will be eliminated and there will
be more support for your doctor to provide you with the best
quality of care and treatments.” |
| You are working with a group of doctors and nurses from
your community who have volunteered to be spokespeople for
national health reform. They have asked you to write an OP/ED
which they can all sign and send to the newspaper. What will
your main points be? |
“Health care reform will
help me care for you better. I believe that by bringing about
major changes to our health care system, like reforming how
we pay for care so doctors are rewarded for better quality
rather than quantity, will result in better care for us all.
And a reduction in waste and greed will control costs, and
make access more affordable. It just makes good sense.” |
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“My patients want me to be
the best doctor I can be and provide them with the best quality
of care. Examining and talking with my patients, determining
the most effective treatments, and helping my patients be
more proactive in preventing disease—that’s what
I was trained to do. Bringing about major changes to our health
care system, like reforming how we pay for care so doctors
are rewarded for better quality rather than quantity, will
result in the best care for us all, control costs, and make
access more affordable. It just makes good sense.” |
| |
“We need access to the latest
research comparing the effectiveness of different treatments
and which drugs have the best results. Armed with that information,
we can offer our patients more informed choices and reduce
the risk of recommending less effective treatments.” |
| |
“Providing you and your doctor
with the most up to date information on which therapies work
and which don’t is a crucial component to making health
care better for you and your family. Armed with this knowledge,
your doctor and you can make informed and effective decisions
while avoiding wasteful, ineffective, or potentially harmful
treatments. That’s patient-centered health care –
the kind of health care we want.” |
| You are being interviewed by your state newspaper for an
article on national health reform. You are asked the following
question: “Do you think what Congress is talking
about is really what folks in Tennessee want?”
How do you respond? |
“Finally we will have the
kind of healthcare system that provides our doctors with the
time, access to information, and technological support to
do their job the best they can. And we will have peace of
mind that comes with knowing that our treatment options are
effective, proven, and affordable. This is patient-centered
care, not the kind of industry centered care that results
in denials of coverage, mountains of paperwork, and skyrocketing
bills. This is what all Tennesseans want—guaranteed
affordable quality health care.” |
| Your neighbor knows you are involved with health reform
and stops you to say: “I was just listening to the
news. It sounds to me like government getting involved in
health care is a bad idea. I’m afraid they are going
to mess up like they did in New Orleans after Katrina. Who
wants some bureaucrat telling me what medicines I should take?
And all you ever hear about are Canadians crossing the border
to get treatments because they have to wait so long in their
country.” How do you respond? |
“It’s time to stop
playing politics and solve the health care crisis. Health
care reform will give you the freedom of choice to keep your
current plan including keeping your current doctor, or choose
another private plan, or the choice of a quality affordable
public health insurance plan. Health care reform will stop
the insurance companies from denying coverage for an illness
you had 5 years ago or some other pre-existing condition,
or denying you care because of your age. Health care will
be affordable—it will cost less and cover more. It will
be a uniquely American solution that gives you the peace of
mind of knowing you will always have quality, affordable health
care.” |
| You are a participant/panelist at a ‘Town Hall’
sponsored luncheon – the topic is health reform. A member
of the community expressed concern regarding national reform
– “Why should we pay for illegal immigrants?”
How do you respond? |
“It is only fair that folks
who work hard, pay taxes, invest in their communities, and
pay for their health care should receive the same access to
and quality of health care as everyone else. Where you were
born should not be a factor, rather you believe in the American
Dream and contribute to making America a better place for
all.” |
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