For Minnesotans who aren't covered through employee benefits provided by their workplace, consumers are being encouraged to look to the state's insurance marketplace. And in order to persuade more Minnesotans to take notice, a $9 million ad campaign has recently been launched.
According to local television news station and CBS affiliate WCCO, the aim of the advertisements – which feature Gopher State symbols like lumberjack Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox – is to get the estimated 1.3 million residents signed up for healthcare through the exchange that is scheduled to open for enrollment in October.
However, many lawmakers think that committing this amount of money is excessive and wasteful.
"The biggest travesty here is that $9 million of taxpayer money has been spent coming up with Paul Bunyan and Babe," State Rep. Peggy Scott told the local news station. "How many young healthy people even know who Paul Bunyan and Babe are?"
Scott added that the advertisements are not only superfluous but misleading, never citing that consumers' premiums could rise substantially under the ACA.
The advertisements, which were made and produced by the state's exchange MNsure, are likely to remain in place throughout the remainder of the year. April Todd-Malmov, one of the marketplace's chief executives, told WCCO that the ultimate goal is to "reach as many Minnesotans as we can with accurate and positive messages."
Several other organizations are looking to inform Minnesotans about the insurance marketplace ahead of the October 1 open enrollment period launch date, including the TakeAction Minnesota coalition. At its website, visitors can learn more about MNsure, navigators, how the ACA affects immigrants and the most recent versions of the health exchange reform bill.
