The state of Minnesota has created a video showing all the many ways it is working to get out the word the that open enrollment is coming and that it is so very important to have health insurance.
In it you see all the ways: tv commercials, large outdoor bill boards, bus posters, print ads, radio spots, digital aids, ...The ads are running now. Minnesotans are learning about their health insurance choices through the Minnesota Health Exchange everyday.
The state of New York has a video I have only come across on Youtube. With instructions " To find out how you or your business can get it go to New York State of Health, the official health plan marketplace."
1. I search in my google browser.
2. The first thing to pop up is New York State Department of Health
3. New York consumers are not off to a good start.
4. Open enrollment start October 1.
What does Minnesota know that New York doesn't?
In it you see all the ways: tv commercials, large outdoor bill boards, bus posters, print ads, radio spots, digital aids, ...The ads are running now. Minnesotans are learning about their health insurance choices through the Minnesota Health Exchange everyday.
The state of New York has a video I have only come across on Youtube. With instructions " To find out how you or your business can get it go to New York State of Health, the official health plan marketplace."
1. I search in my google browser.
2. The first thing to pop up is New York State Department of Health
3. New York consumers are not off to a good start.
4. Open enrollment start October 1.
What does Minnesota know that New York doesn't?
Has anyone seen outdoor ads in NYC for the Exchange
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any ads for the exchange at all. After going to the NYSDOH website - the information was there, but I wasn't totally clear on how to apply to it, I felt like I was going in a circle.
ReplyDeleteAny ideas why the state is being so secretive about the marketplace? Are they afraid too many people are going to try to utilize it?
Just watched the NY Vid after watching the MN vid. The differences are rather striking. Health Insurance isn't even mentioned in the NY Vid until the 55 sec mark of a 1:15 second ad spot. Its well produced, with a catchy title for the plan, but not at all as well saturated as is the MN spot.
ReplyDeleteNYC in my experience has an abundance of aggregated health care centers in which you are given a confusing choice of plans to choose from. HealthFirst is such a place...I was woozy when I left that office after attempting to gather information on an appropriate health plan for my wife and I.
October is 2 weeks away...and right now I consider myself really lucky to be a part of my wife's fully comprehensive health plan here in NYC. I have not seen a single mention for the NYC initiative besides what was mentioned here. The folks in MN in theory have the right idea by concocting an elegant, cheery campaign which for all intents seems to be saturated throughout the State.
I must admit after watching MNSure, I am more interested in signing up in Minnesota! I think it was very interesting to use Paul Bunyan, their famous Minnesota icon to promote health insure. The creators use a humorous approach to engage the audience and it works! I found myself smiling at all the mishaps that Mr. Bunyan found himself in. However, that's all I can say.
ReplyDeleteNew York's video promoting Health Insurance isn't funny. However, what I did like about it, was that it made the commercial relatable. Providing examples of various people from different backgrounds and walks of life makes the video feel more personal. Most information on the marketplace is on healthcare.gov and despite their efforts to renovate the website (which they recently did unveil a new format), the aesthetics are still too complicated. The features are great! They have tools to help choose the right insurance, the website is both in Spanish and English and when you call there are over 200 languages to choose from. However, this does not make the page more navigable. It doesn't make the page inviting.
So how can we even try to draw attention to a website that we don't even advertise about. Although, NYC and NYS do make the effort of reaching out to the community to talk to centers, clinics, outreach programs, there are people still very much unaware. People who may take the subway everyday, watch TV everyday, go social media everyday and still are unaware. Despite having a twitter page the US Department of Health and Human Services, is still trying to reach out to those in the local community. I intern for HHS and we try so hard to reach out to the public about information regarding the Marketplace by actually going out to the public and talking to churches, community centers, etc but there are still many people that need to be reached. But, I definitely believe New York could take notes from Minnesota. I'm pretty sure the Statue of Liberty has her own mishaps once in awhile. Who better than our Lady Liberty to promote the Marketplace. You'd have to live under a rock to not know her. It would make for great commercials!
The Minnesota ad seems more interesting and catchy compared to the New York ad. The MN ad was longer showing the different mediums used to promote MNSure and stated from the very beginning what it's purpose was. If it weren't for the title of the video for the NY ad, I would have had no idea what it was supposed to be for since it mentions it's purpose (providing healthcare coverage) a minute after it begins and when most of the video is close to finishing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have not heard of the NY health insurance campaign until just having watched the video. In comparison, MN residents are getting doses of the MNSure ads through television, radio, pamphlets, billboard posters, and running ads on buses and trains. I'm assuming that most New Yorkers are unaware of the NY health plan marketplace promoted in the video but if the Department of Health perhaps tries to make it available through different mediums (like in-your-face subway and bus ads) it could try to reach a larger amount of people to learn about the marketplace and why it's crucial for New Yorkers to have affordable health insurance.
I watched the MN video and then NY video. I realized that MN video is a captivated and enthusiastic about the health exchange market. The messages are reaching out to the public via this campaign. It has great effects and natural scenery about the state. They want citizens to be involved and educated about this health exchange market. The message is catchy and precise. The video is a 'wow' factor.
ReplyDeleteNY video is promoting families and diversity instead of the health exchange market. The idea is confusing to viewers what are my choices, who are these exchanges and when do we enroll for this? The campaign did a poor ad to educate and appeal to the public. There were less effects and phrases to captivate. They video gave us a choice whether to be a part or be against health insurance. New Yorkers are though and strong and we can make our choices and stand alone. I tried searching about the New York health exchange market and found nothing. It is heartbreaking that we are not familiarize with this market. In less that 2 weeks we will have doubts, many unanswered questions and clarifications. The state have not been advertising or promoting this health insurance. So I infer that they are not interested or don't care about the impact it has on the public and how many lives can be affected or change by the health exchange market.
The question is how can this information be simplified and publicized throughout the state?
I believe the state of Minnesota did an excellent job in getting it's residents ready for this new health care reform that goes in effective on October 1st. The state of Minnesota gave step by step instructions on how their residents can sign up for health care. In Addition, it created a website that was easy for the consumer to follow and better understand the process and their options in terms of picking a plan that works within their budget and that is best for their family. Whereas, New York failed not only the sate but most importantly its residents. It has not done enough to get us ready for Obama care that goes in effect in less than a week . In my opinion, New York needs to take some lessons from the State of Minnesota on how it can better promote this health care reform. I have done some research and could not find anything New York has done to get us ready. I am ready to purchase insurance in the state of Minnesota at this point.
DeleteNew York has not done enough promoting or advertising that appeals to the public where they can better understand their options and choices. New York has dropped the ball when it has come to making sure that everyone is ready for health care reform. I don't think they understand how this could be so detrimental to so many people who don't have any health insurance. What has this nation come too. New York has got it all wrong in terms of how we can shop for insurance. The process of picking health insurance that can give you the best possible coverage is confusing in itself. The state of Minnesota and the Mnsure website that they created should be a leading examples to so many of the other states such as New York who has done enough to prepare it's residents for Obama care.
This is a prime example of why bills don't get passed in Congress. With such an important issue as health care I would think that all the states would be in full gear vamping up their campaigns to ensure that their citizens get all the necessary information to shop the market place for affordable health insurance.
ReplyDeleteMinnesota used their state icon, something that each Minnesotan can relate to which makes the promotion appealing and relatable.the video was very catchy and reinforced the need to get insurance. The NY video on the other hand was less appealing, it was very dry, I for a while thought they were showing us that NY is a melting pot of different cultures. It could well be that Minnesota and NY got different dates of when the market place would be open to shop for insurance.
The MNSure video was a refreshing break from the NY video. MNSure's use of Paul Bunyan added a creative spin on engaging audiences about open enrollment. It brought in humor and allowed individuals to understand 10,000 reasons why someone should get health insurance. Overall the message of the MNSure video was easy to understand and left a lasting impression on me. The message was clear, creative and memorable which is key to spreading MNSure within the state. As well as creating excitement and spreading the awareness about getting health insurance.
ReplyDeleteThe NY video on the other had left me confused and wanting to replay the video because of my confusion. It took sometime for me to understand what the video was about and why their were so many smiling people at the beginning of the video. The overall message wasn't clear it took a long time for the words health insurance to be mentioned as well. Watching the video of all the various individuals smiling and playing distracted me from understanding the point of the video. The video seems more focused on showing the diversity of New York than the importance of attaining health insurance.