As the March 31 deadline for signing for a qualified essential health plan nears, consumers – whether they have employee benefits or don't – can expect to see advocates of the Affordable Care Act utilizing a variety of communications outlets to encourage people to enroll.
For example, nonprofit organization Enroll America, which is a fervent supporter of the Affordable Care Act, is dispatching buses to portions of the South and Midwest in order to encourage more people to select plans, Kaiser Health News reported, in collaboration with USA Today. Additionally, hospital chains sympathetic to the health reform law are reaching out to people who don't have coverage that they may be able to apply for subsidies.
Electronic media will be used extensively as well, KHN revealed. For example, during the NCAA Tournament – more commonly known as "March Madness," the federal government will air several 30-second spots promoting plans that can be shopped for through the federal or state-based exchanges.
Paul Ginsburg, president of the Center for Studying Health System Change, indicated the campaign is all about the numbers.
"If enrollment is high and more young people enroll, the administration can point to success," said Ginsburg.
The White House and officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are also expected to utilize social media – specifically Facebook and Twitter – to drum up support among individuals under the age of 30, a key demographic in order for the ACA to remain strong, the news outlet stated.
Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office isn't too optimistic about these promotional steps. It recently adjusted its initial projection for how many people will likely enroll in the ACA in 2014, anticipating 1 million fewer individuals will obtain coverage through the exchanges relative to how many it predicted in May.
