Health Insurance Exchanges

01 July 2010

Pro-Active Messaging on the Exchanges

In proactive messaging remember to:

state the problem and how the legislation addresses and solves this problem

Millions of Americans and small business owners who had trouble finding affordable health insurance before will now be able to purchase it in a fair marketplace called an exchange – just like the one their Members of Congress use.
In the exchange, insurance companies will compete to provide the best product at the best price, and tough rules will make sure that every insurance package covers the basics, like annual checkups and preventive medicine.
The exchange will work a lot like Expedia or Travelocity, but instead of shopping for the best airfares, Americans will be able to compare health insurance plans and buy the one that's the best fit.
Small businesses will finally have the kind of purchasing power that big businesses have enjoyed to get the best coverage for their employees at a price they can afford. No longer will small businesses have to choose between health care coverage and hiring.
Hard-working Americans who haven't been able to afford coverage will get subsidies according to a sliding scale, so that they can buy a good quality plan through the exchange.

In responding to attacks remember to:

push back; attack motives; return to core message

Attack
"Americans are now being forced into this exchange. It's a government takeover of our health care and the people don't want it."

Response

Most Americans will keep their insurance that they get through their employer. No one is forcing people who already have insurance into the exchange.
This is the same tired argument that the opponents of reform use over and over again, and it doesn't make sense because the exchange offers us more choices, greater control over our health care, and more competition to control costs.
The exchange does exactly what the people want: it forces insurance companies to compete to provide the best product for the lowest cost. It gives small businesses the chance to find affordable coverage for their employees, just like big businesses can. And it makes insurers cover the basics, so that no one who pays good money and thinks they're covered finds out that their plan wasn't good enough. Choice, competition and quality in our health insurance: now that's something we can all get behind.