Print, Social and Digital
Media Ads Part of Effort to Educate Consumers and Promote Enrollment
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Covered
California™ unveiled the first phase of its advertising and marketing campaign
that will inform Californians about the new era of health care coverage
arriving in 2014.
The campaign, rolling out
next week, will promote the new insurance marketplace through television and
radio ads, digital and social media, and an updated website showcasing a
shop-and-compare tool and a suite of video resources. Stakeholders and media
got a first glimpse today of the diversified effort to educate Californians
about the exchange and its promise of much-needed coverage for millions when it
opens Oct. 1.
“This media campaign will
help launch the new culture of coverage coming in January 2014,” said Covered
California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “The ads will explain that
Californians will get access to low-cost or no-cost insurance and will benefit
from new rules that allow everyone to have coverage. This will mean peace of
mind for many Californians who have either been putting off medical care or
going into debt because of health care costs.”
Beginning Labor Day,
television ads will hit the airwaves in three test markets: San Diego,
Sacramento and Chico/Redding. By October, other television markets will be added.
The phased approach will allow Covered California to test the impact of ads and
fine-tune its customer service process.
One of the inaugural
television ads introduces viewers to the mission of Covered California with a
series of freeway and city signs directing them to the security that having
health insurance coverage can bring.
Another television ad shows
common health scenarios that some Californians could face every day, including
injuries and illnesses, and reminds viewers that they are eligible for Covered
California insurance.
A Spanish-language
television ad shows Californians welcoming Covered California into their homes
and businesses.
“With a six-month open-enrollment
period from October through March 2014, Covered California’s media team
recommended we build our campaign to promote enrollment with an eye toward the
beginning coverage date of Jan. 1, 2014,” Lee said. “We’ve done the background
research to make sure we reach people in ways that are specific to their hopes,
fears and concerns and that reflect the rich diversity of California’s
population.”
From October on, additional
advertising will begin, including print and radio ads targeted
to specific ethnic groups
and other languages beyond English and Spanish. The ads will expand awareness
of the health benefit exchange, of how the process for shopping and signing up
for insurance coverage works, and of how people can find out whether they qualify
for financial assistance.
Covered California has
budgeted $45 million for the initial push of paid media through March 2014 and
plans to spend another $35 million from April to December 2014. The funds come
from a one-time federal grant.
The advertising campaign
complements a statewide community outreach, education and enrollment program,
with hundreds of partner organizations and thousands of Certified Enrollment
Counselors and Certified Insurance Agents set to spread the word in neighborhoods
and assist consumers with enrollment. Covered California will also have more
than 400 Service Center representatives by October to answer questions and
enroll consumers in private health plans and Medi-Cal coverage.
About Covered California
Covered California is the
state’s marketplace for the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Covered California was charged with creating a new health insurance marketplace
in which individuals and small businesses can get access to affordable health
insurance plans. With coverage starting in 2014, Covered California will help
individuals determine whether they are eligible for premium assistance that
will be available on a sliding-scale basis to reduce insurance costs or whether
they are eligible for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal. Consumers can then compare
health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health
needs and budget.
Small businesses will be
able to purchase competitively priced health insurance plans and offer their
employees the ability to choose from an array of plans and may qualify for
federal tax credits.
Covered California is an
independent part of the state government whose job is to make the new market
work for California’s consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed
by the Governor and the Legislature. For more information on Covered California,
please visit www.CoveredCA.com.
