“The Affordable Care Act is a hefty 2,000 page law that is extraordinarily complex,” Carmine Gallo writes for KevinMD. “It should come as little surprise that just over half of U.S. adults struggle to explain any of the components of the law. The survey conducted by the American Institute of CPAs, also found 48 percent of younger adults, aged 18 to 34, have no knowledge of the law at all. Here in California, where I live, another survey showed that three-quarters adults under the age of 65 have heard ‘nothing or little’ about the exchange.”
“If the surveys had been conducted in Connecticut the results might have looked considerably better. In a poll conducted by Access Health CT, the organization tasked with administrating the new health insurance exchange for the state, 70 percent were aware of the health reform law. It’s partly due to the fact that all summer long Access Health CT has strived to communicate the implications of the new law in plain English. The organization has taken out television and newspaper ads, promoted the exchange on social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, and had a presence at popular summer festivals and concerts,” Gallo writes. “‘It’s a new law and we have an obligation to explain it,’ Access Health CEO Kevin Counihan, told me in a recent conversation.”
“Make no mistake, Counihan and most other states that create the insurance exchanges have a serious communication hurdle to overcome. First, the law is polarizing. All I had to do at summer parties this year was to mention “Obamacare” and I’d have my own fireworks show. Second, it’s complex. Third, it’s simply not a sexy topic. ‘It’s not like buying an iPad,’ says Counihan,” Gallo writes. “Counihan is right. It’s not like buying an iPad. Or is it? Apple Store employees are trained to hide the complexity of technology and to clearly explain the benefit behind the products. They’re also trained in communication to make sure shoppers understand their choices and walk out of the store having made the choice that best fits their needs. Counihan knows this, which is why Connecticut will be the first, and perhaps the only state, to open physical brick and mortar stores where anyone can walk in, learn about health insurance, and enroll in a plan. The stores are directly inspired by the Apple Store model, right down to the ‘Genius Bar’ in back of the store where employees — dressed in orange instead of blue shirts — will troubleshoot more complicated requests and issues.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “James M. Gross” for the heads up.]
