| The latest news from and for state health care advocates |
November 2011 |
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In each edition, we'll feature an action, victory, campaign, or interesting tactic shared by a state advocate. Send us your updates. |
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In This Issue:
Buzz around the States
Join Colorado Consumer Health Initiative and ProgressNow Colorado Education in thanking Obamacare for giving people access to affordable, quality health care.
Conservative committee in Georgia outlines a plan to build a health insurance exchange in the state.
The Committee on Health drafted legislation that establishes an exchange in Washington, D.C. The bill includes consumer protection, conflict of interest, and excessive salary prevention provisions.
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States in Focus
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Before the upcoming legislative session, test different messages to see what resonates with grassroots supporters in your state. Simple and straightforward language with analogies is the best way to educate a broad audience about the exchange.
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Illinois Advocates Build Support for the Exchange with Effective Messaging
It’s not easy to engage the public in the fight to implement a consumer-friendly health insurance exchange. Advocates at Campaign for Better Health Care (CBHC) found the right message to trigger grassroots support and build a movement that effectively influenced the state legislature in Illinois.
The group focused their messaging on how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) benefits millions of people and puts an end to insurance industry abuses that have plagued the health care system for decades. They emphasized the importance of creating an insurance marketplace that protects consumers and lowers cost through increased competition. According to Jim Duffett, the organization’s executive director, “To minimize confusion about the exchange, we decided not to brand it as ‘the exchange.’ Instead, we branded it as a ‘marketplace.’” The Campaign for Better Health Care also used analogies to explain the various provisions of exchange legislation in a straightforward and simple way. For example, advocates explained the importance of keeping insurers and brokers off the exchange governing board by comparing the board to our judicial system. The board, as with a jury, should be fair and balanced. Neither should be made up of people with personal interests that would influence their decision making.
To activate the grassroots, advocates also demonstrated how insurance lobbyists attempt to undo the many achievements of the Affordable Care Act at the state level. Their strategy of talking about the exchange in the simplest way possible and highlighting the insurance industry’s efforts to undermine the benefits of the Affordable Care Act proved to be a great success. In just a few months, advocates collected roughly 16,000 signed postcards in support of the exchange, held several legislative meetings where consumers were able to advocate for a consumer-friendly marketplace, and held 24 public forums on the exchange.
Although Illinois has yet to pass exchange legislation, the state set up a committee to coordinate implementation work. And, with the support of thousands of grassroots supporters, advocates will enter the upcoming legislative session with the momentum needed to pass it in 2012.
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Through strategic partnerships with a number of local and national organizations that share a common goal, advocates in Massachusetts mobilized large constituencies to fight for the protection of Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Forging broad alliances has allowed them to pursue both grassroots and grasstops strategies to effect their goals.
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Strategic Partnerships Push the Super Committee in Massachusetts
After the super committee was charged with reducing the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years, Health Care for All Massachusetts (HCFA) launched a campaign to educate Bay State senator and super committee member, John Kerry, and other influential members of Congress. Through multiple strategic partnerships, the organization urged Senator Kerry and other important members of Congress to find a balanced solution and reject any cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.
As part of their grassroots advocacy efforts, Health Care for All Massachusetts partnered with several local and national organizations, including unions, hospital associations, and seniors groups. Through these relationships, advocates organized press conferences, demonstrations, and rallies. For example, on November 9, they joined Mass Senior Action and AARP for a 4,000-person march to the offices of Senators Kerry and Brown. Along the way, participants chanted slogans about the need to protect Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Through these strong partnerships, this message has reached countless individuals and has even influenced the Occupy Boston movement. Protesters adopted shared talking points and called for “no cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security” in their Day of Action for Health Justice, held on November 12.
As part of their grasstops efforts, staff met regularly with Senator Kerry’s staff and maintained close contact with his offices in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. Advocates also sent letters to Senator Kerry, as well as to other super committee members and influential legislators in their state, such as Senator Scott Brown and Representative Richard Neal. In addition, they published an op-ed about the harm that would be caused by cuts to these programs.
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A creative grassroots strategy that involves direct contact with constituents can be a powerful way to educate community members and influence elected officials. Face-to-face conversations are memorable and can be an opportunity to encourage people to take action and engage in online advocacy. This direct contact is also a way to remind individuals that an issue, such as potential cuts to vital health care programs, affects us all.
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“Doctors” Target Senator Baucus and the Super Committee
Staff at Forward Montana launched a creative campaign in October 2011, called FAKE Doctors for REAL Priorities, to educate the public and urge super committee member Senator Max Baucus to support Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.
Dressed in scrubs and surgical smocks, Forward Montana staff and volunteers spread the message about protecting these vital programs. The “doctors” maintained a visible presence on streets, campuses, downtown areas, and at public festivals.
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They garnered the public’s attention in a way that was memorable and prompted conversation. During their events, they encouraged Montanans to join their Facebook page and to tell Senator Baucus’ office how important Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security are to them. During the course of the two-month campaign, the FAKE Doctors for REAL Priorities Facebook page attracted nearly 200 followers.
Forward Montana's staff also engaged the public by collecting photo testimonials featuring Montanans holding signs that say why these programs are important to them.
They collected approximately 100 photos that were shared with Senator Baucus’ office on November 22. After months of deliberations, the Super Committee did not put forward a plan that would cut these programs. While this is a tremendous victory, it’s not the end of the fight. As budget battles loom ahead, it is critical to send the message that Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security must be protected from any cuts.
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Beat of the Month
This month, we learned that the United States Supreme Court will review the Affordable Act on three specific issues: the individual mandate, the Medicaid expansion, and the severability clause. In the spirit of justice, listen to “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley.
Advocate Tip:
Enter the Health Care Innovation Challenge!
HHS recently announced that it would award up to $1 billion dollars to innovative projects across the country that test creative ways to deliver high-quality medical care and save money. Funded through the Affordable Care Act, the Health Care Innovation Challenge will award grants in March 2012 to applicants who implement the most compelling new ideas to deliver better health care and lower costs in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries.
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New Resources from Families USA and Stand Up for Health Care
Take me to back issues of the Beat!
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