Celinda Lake Lake Research Partners Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY LakeResearch.com 202.776.9066

Celinda LakeLake Research PartnersWashington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NYLakeResearch.com202.776.9066

Messaging on the Affordable Care Act

http://www.lakeresearch.com/

2

Overview

Let people know the health reform law has passed Shift from a political frame to consumer frame Anchor messaging around key provisions:

End to pre-existing conditions No hidden caps Prevention including birth control, wellness exams, and exams for seniors No discrimination by gender

Latinos are especially unaware of key provisions of ACA, and shift overwhelmingly towards us after learning about these provisions.

Note many of these provisions are values oriented for women Values oriented messaging matters – security, prevention, protection,

wellness Tap into the politics of resentment as well

Inoculate against cost concerns. Emphasize personal cost, not cost to the economy

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Key Findings

Voters aren’t paying attention to the Affordable Care Act.

• Knowledge about the ACA is relatively low, with only about one in four likely voters saying they know a significant amount about the new law.

• Women know slightly less about the ACA than men, despite being the people who are focused on health care. Right now the ACA is a “political” issue, rather than a “health care service.” That has to change to increase support and gain women’s attention.

ACA Favorability among Women 50+For the first time in Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking polls, older women are more favorable than unfavorable.February 2012: 47% favorable, 37% unfavorable

Let voters know it passed

• Many voters—especially Latino voters and blue collar women—are not even sure Congress has passed a health care reform law. Voters who don’t even realize health care reform is now the law are more susceptible to the myths and scare tactics of opponents.

“I don't think it has passed.” [Blue collar woman, Philadelphia]

Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO) between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban St. Louis women.

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Key Findings

Use a consumer frame.

• Protections (no denials for pre-existing conditions for themselves and children); Prevention provisions (well woman focus); and Non-discrimination (cost of coverage for women and men the same)

• These tap into core values of prevention and wellness, security and protection.

Shifting emphasis from a political frame to a consumer frame helps move women, bridge generations of women, and doesn’t alienate men.

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Key Findings

Emphasize prevention services.

• Voters strongly support services that fall under a broad wellness and prevention frame. The most powerful message is simply the services included.

Inoculate against cost concerns.

• Prevention and other elements of law help women/families save their dollars. Talking about families works much better than talking about businesses saving money.

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Key Findings

Target specific populations of women and use appropriate comprehensive prevention messaging.

• Older women respond to coverage of mammograms, cancer screenings, preventive coverage of annual exams with no co-pays, and Medicare with no co-pays.

• Younger women also respond strongly to birth control at no additional cost and prenatal care.

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Key Findings

Effective messages resonate on a core value level.

• The best messages in support of the new health care reform law focus on prevention and making health care more secure for families. These messages are strong among voters who shift toward supporting the ACA. Older women also respond to protecting Medicare.

• These top messages tap into core values of prevention and wellness, security, and protection. The top messages also evoke the “politics of resentment” with references to the fact members of Congress will have the same coverage.

Attitudes on Health Care Services Covered Under the ACA

The most popular services covered under the ACA – among those tested – include no denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions, coverage of preventive services, and not charging women more than men for coverage. Support for the individual elements is often higher than support for the overall law.

10

70

64

59

5858

60

54

52

51

55

45

43

42

41

37

35

34

33

No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions forchildren

No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions*

Mammograms and cancer screenings with no co-pay*

No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditionsincluding pregnancy, rape, cancer, and domestic…

Cannot charge women more than men for insurancecoverage, which has been allowed previously

Prenatal care

Preventive care in medicare with no co-pay*

Annual physical exams*

Annual well-woman preventive exam*

Impact on Favorability Toward ACA - Men

Rated 8-10

Rated 10

The most popular services covered under the ACA – among those tested for men – include no denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions for children or in general, cannot charge women more than men for coverage, mammograms and cancer screenings with no co-pay, and no denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions including pregnancy, rape, cancer, and domestic violence.

Lake Research survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide using RDD. The survey was comprised of a base sample of 800 likely voters (400 men and 400 women) with an oversample of 200 female voters nationwide. In the combined totals, respondents in the female oversample were weighted down to reflect their actual proportion among the population. The survey was conducted August 4 through 10, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.

Mean

7.8

7.3

7.0

6.9

7.1

7.1

6.6

*Split sampled questions

6.6

6.7

11

80

79

76

7572

74

70

70

64

68

65

60

57

56

55

52

52

46

No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions forchildren

Cannot charge women more than men for insurancecoverage, which has been allowed previously

No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions*

Annual well-woman preventive exam*

Mammograms and cancer screenings with no co-pay*

No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditionsincluding pregnancy, rape, cancer, and domestic…

Prenatal care

Annual physical exams*

Preventive care in Medicare with no co-pay*

Impact on Favorability Toward ACA - Women

Rated 8-10

Rated 10

For women, they respond even more intensely to the same services than men. Additionally, they strongly support coverage of annual well-woman preventive exams.

Mean

8.7

8.5

8.4

8.3

8.2

8.2

8.0

*Split sampled questions

7.9

7.6


12

62

59

58

56

55

54

53

Increases funding for community health centers toimprove healthcare in communities that need it most

Cracks down on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare

Makes preventive care free by eliminating co-pays forannual check-ups, mammograms, and other cancer

screenings

Provides tax credits to small businesses to makehealthcare coverage for their employees more

affordable

Cracks down on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid

Requires that members of Congress get theirhealthcare coverage from the same plans as tens of

millions of Americans

Provides financial assistance to uninsured familiesearning under $88,000 so that they can get affordable

healthcare

Support for ACA Provisions -Hispanics

After hearing about the provisions, support among Hispanics for the health care law rose 16 points. Just by informing them of the provisions of the law, we can elevate their support. Top provisions include increasing funding for health centers, cracking down on waste, and making preventive care free.

Anzalone Liszt survey of 600 likely Hispanic voters nationwide, 480 contacted by land line and 120 by cell phone. The survey was conducted November 29-December 5, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 4.0%.

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For seniors, making it illegal for insurance companies to drop people who get sick, requiring members of Congress get their coverage from the same plans as Americans, and cutting waste in Medicare and closing the donut hole are strong reasons to support the law.

Top Benefits: % Much More Likely to SupportWhite

Seniors(23%)

Makes it illegal for insurance companies to drop coverage for people who get sick47

Requires that members of Congress get their healthcare coverage from the same plans that tens of millions of Americans would get their healthcare coverage from 47

Cuts waste in Medicare and Medicaid and lowers prescription drug costs for seniors by closing the current gap in Medicare, sometimes referred to as the “donut hole” 46

Requires insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions 44

Creates new competitive insurance markets that will increase competition among insurance companies to help lower healthcare costs. 41

Anzalone Liszt survey of 1,000 likely general election voters nationwide. The survey was conducted April 19-25, 2010. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.

Messaging in Support of the Affordable Care Act

The best messages in support of the new health care reform law focus on prevention and making health care more secure for families. These messages are strong among voters who shift toward supporting the ACA. These top messages tap into core values of prevention and wellness, security, and protection. Additionally, communicating through personal stories is a very effective vehicle for advocates.

Use personal stories coupled with clear, simple descriptions of how the law works

• A compelling personal story helps tremendously to:– Make the health care reform law real, – Break down resistance, – Tap into anger about how things were under the old system, – Provide hope for how health care reform can make it better, and – Help voters retain knowledge of key provisions.

• Given the lack of information about how health reform works, it is essential to include with the story a short description of two or three key benefits of the law illustrated by the story to help make the benefits crystal clear and reinforce them.

“I like a plan if it helps a man like that.” [Senior man, Philadelphia]

“This [story] is why I believe in giving reform a try.” [Senior woman, Charlotte]

“If I saw Lindsay here actually telling the story, like wow, we did the right thing.” [Younger male, Charlotte]


Tell how the law works, focus on the core provisions that voters value, and keep it simple

• Focus on how the law will:– End pre-existing condition exclusions for adults and children, – Provide small business tax credits to help them provide coverage for

their employees, and – Require insurers to provide no-cost coverage of preventive care. “I just think they need to do away with pre-existing conditions, if that is

something that was passed.” [Blue collar woman, Philadelphia]

“I think that it helps small businesses is really important.” [Blue collar woman, Las Vegas]

“What is going to happen is preventive care like mammograms and

things like that, there is not going to be a co-pay.” [Senior Woman, Charlotte]


Use “transition” or “bridge” language to meet voters where they are and relax their defenses

• Even low information voters have been exposed to a lot of negative messages about health care reform, and they generally start from a position of apprehensiveness, fear, and doubt.

• Advocates should not be afraid to concede that the law is not perfect, or “not the law any of us would have written.”

• This helps make any message to follow more relatable and credible.

• Follow-up with a positive statement like “but it does some good things…” and briefly describe the key provisions described earlier.

• It is strong to talk about “improving” the health care law.

“I agree we need to give it a chance because not everything new is always perfect.” [Blue collar woman, Philadelphia]


Keep claims small, clear, and credible; don’t overpromise or “spin” what the law will deliver

• Large-scale claims about the broad impact of health care reform are not reassuring to voters, and big promises about what it will deliver are not credible—regardless of factual accuracy.

“This [narrative] is soft spoken. It doesn't make any loud claims and it doesn't have what I have killed the other ones for.” [Younger male, Charlotte]


Avoid overheated political rhetoric • Messages that employ partisan, celebratory, or self-

congratulatory elements fall flat with these voters and are counterproductive.

• They want to know how the law works and how it will affect them and their families—and they are in no mood to listen to politicians take a victory lap for passing a law that many see as partisan, rushed, and deeply flawed.

“I crossed that out, actually [that it was ‘amazing Congress actually passed it’]. That and it's about time they actually did something rather than just arguing about it. I thought there was a lot of good stuff in this statement but that statement alone took away from it because it is like yeah, pat on the back they did it. Yes, do you want a cookie now? It doesn't add any credibility to what they are trying to get across. It detracts from it.” [Younger female, Charlotte]


Talk about Congress being part of the same system (being on the same “plan” would be even stronger if true).

• One key to reducing skepticism about the law is to tell voters that Congress will be part of the same system.

• While for some the claim doesn’t seem credible, for others it’s a strong sign that the new system couldn’t be all bad if members of Congress are participating in it.

• What voters really want is for Congress to give everyone the same health care benefits they are getting.

“That would help [if Congress will be required to have the same coverage as everyone else].” [Suburban woman, St. Louis]

“It is very simple. All they have to do is give us what they're getting. That's

all. Why don't they give us the same plan they're getting, the politicians.” [Blue collar woman, Las Vegas]


FOR SENIORS: It is critical to reassure seniors that Medicare will not be cut. Use a relevant personal story to illustrate the benefits to seniors. • Relative to other groups, seniors are somewhat more informed about the

law, but are also highly critical.

• There is concern that the health care law helps the uninsured at the expense of those with insurance and/or Medicare.

• Senior oriented messages that focus on the policy benefits to seniors and endorsements by the AARP fall flat.

• What works best is a personal story about an older person who falls ill and encounters the kinds of tragic consequences that were possible under the old system, but not after reform—like ending the rescissions when people get sick, ending lifetime caps, and creating a reinsurance program for those 55-64 years of age who retire early.

“I like a plan if it helps a man like that.” [Senior man, Philadelphia]

“This [story] is why I believe in giving reform a try.” [Senior woman, Charlotte]


FOR NON-COLLEGE EDUCATED WOMEN: Tell them health care passed. Explain in simple terms what’s in the law and how it will affect them. Let them know they can keep the coverage they have now. • Because they lack information, non-college women start out as a fairly tough audience for health

care reform, but they may also have among the greatest potential of any group to oppose repeal efforts once they understand some basic benefits of reform.

• They respond well to transition language that diffuses their skepticism by acknowledging that the bill isn’t perfect.

• They want a simple explanation of what is in the bill, when the key provisions will take effect, and how it will affect them and their families.

• Non-college women are moved by personal stories, but couple them with a simple, concrete description of what’s in the law.

• Women’s stories, women’s voices, and provisions of health care that affect women are especially helpful in winning over these women.

“Put it in English, so everybody knows if you are this age, or this income you are going to get this coverage. That is something we don't have.” [Non-college woman, Philadelphia]

“[I] feel optimistic about the reform. It might actually fix some of the issues with the insurance companies.” [Non-college woman, Las Vegas]


FOR LATINO VOTERS: Tell them health care passed. Explain in the key provisions of the law and how it will affect them. Tell them Congress will participate on the same plans. Focus on covering everybody including children, coverage of prevention, and credits for small business. • Latino voters are not only unaware of the benefits of the health care reform

law, but many are not even aware that it had passed.

• Use a compelling personal story coupled with a very basic explanation of how the law works: namely ending insurance company exclusions for pre-existing conditions—especially eliminating exclusions of children with pre-existing conditions, no-cost coverage for preventive services, and tax credits to help small businesses cover their employees.

• Additionally, it helps for them to hear that members of Congress will also receive the same coverage as everyone else.

• Explain that lower income people will be helped to afford their coverage through premiums based on a sliding scale, especially to Spanish-speaking and downscale audiences.

“I think this explains it more. Not everyone is going to need the same type of health coverage. They might make it affordable where you can have like a small premium so people can afford, or if you are more sick, you can get better coverage.” [Latino voter, Las Vegas]


FOR VOTERS UNDER 40: Focus on a personal story about a younger person that includes key provisions. Don’t make grand claims about the law. Use “improve it” language.

• A personal story can be a transformative moment for young people—making the issue relevant and real.

• Young voters appreciate core provisions of reform, like ending the exclusion for pre-existing conditions, even if they also have qualms about the government’s ability to execute.

• Keep all claims measured in tone and don’t make big promises about health care reform.

“If I saw Lindsay here actually telling the story, like wow, we did the right thing.” [Younger male, Charlotte]

“My big thing is I hate hearing over and over again just throw it out and start over. I feel at some point somebody has to say okay, let's work with what we've got here. Take the good pieces and turn it into something else.” [Younger female, Charlotte]


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The best messages in support of the new health care reform law focus on prevention and making health care more secure for families with references to members of Congress getting the same coverage. After messaging, we see a net gain of +20 in support for the law among men.

Messages - MenVery

ConvincingTotal

Convincing[Secure/Congress with no co-pay] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive health care and women's health services with no co-pay, and make health care coverage more secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will also require that members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as millions of Americans.*

45% 69%

[Broad Prevention] Starting this year, all new insurance plans must cover key prevention services, like contraception, well-woman exams, and breast and cervical cancer screenings, which many women have put off or sacrificed because of the cost involved. This will save thousands of lives every year and bring down costs because it is far more effective to prevent an unintended pregnancy and to detect cancer early. Covering preventive care as basic health care, including family planning services, contraception, and birth control, is important to good health care for women.*

38% 66%

[Secure/Congress with preventive] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive services including birth control, and make health care coverage more secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will also require that members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as millions of Americans.

36% 65%

[Protect Medicare] The new health care law will protect Medicare benefits for seniors and strengthen the program for future generations by aggressively cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, ending handouts to insurance companies, and providing free preventive care with no co-pay, including mammograms and women's health services so that we prevent costly emergency room visits and reduce health care costs in the long-run.*

36% 63%


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The top four messages for women are the same as men, but women react more intensely to the messages. After messaging, we see a net shift of +28 in support towards the law.

Messages - WomenVery

ConvincingTotal

Convincing[Broad Prevention] Starting this year, all new insurance plans must cover key prevention services, like contraception, well-woman exams, and breast and cervical cancer screenings, which many women have put off or sacrificed because of the cost involved. This will save thousands of lives every year and bring down costs because it is far more effective to prevent an unintended pregnancy and to detect cancer early. Covering preventive care as basic health care, including family planning services, contraception, and birth control, is important to good health care for women.*

53% 74%

[Secure/Congress with preventive] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive services including birth control, and make health care coverage more secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will also require that members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as millions of Americans.

51% 77%

[Secure/Congress with no co-pay] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive health care and women's health services with no co-pay, and make health care coverage more secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will also require that members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as millions of Americans.*

50% 79%

[Protect Medicare] The new health care law will protect Medicare benefits for seniors and strengthen the program for future generations by aggressively cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, ending handouts to insurance companies, and providing free preventive care with no co-pay, including mammograms and women's health services so that we prevent costly emergency room visits and reduce health care costs in the long-run.*

50% 75%


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The top-testing messages among Hispanics focus on making care more secure, covering preventive care, and reducing costs, though all messages are very effective among Hispanics.

Messages – HispanicsMuch More Likely to

Support ACA[Secure/Congress] The new healthcare law will make healthcare coverage more secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or lose their coverage when someone gets sick. It will also require that members of Congress get their healthcare coverage from the same plans as millions of Americans. If it is good enough for Congress, then it will be good enough for working Americans.

67%

[Preventive Care] The new healthcare law requires that all new insurance plans must cover key prevention services, like annual-checkups, contraception, mammograms and other cancer screenings with no co-pay. This will save thousands of lives every year and bring down costs because it is far better to detect health problems early or prevent them entirely. Covering preventive care, including check-ups and cancer screenings, is important to good healthcare.

66%

[Reduce Costs] The new healthcare law will reduce costs for families by cracking down on insurance companies unfair premium hikes, creating new competitive healthcare markets that will increase competition among insurance companies, and by eliminating co-pays for preventive care, including annual check-ups and cancer screenings. These changes will make quality healthcare more affordable for working families.

64%

[Create Jobs] The new healthcare law will help to create jobs by reducing healthcare costs for small businesses. It gives tax credits to small businesses to make it easier for them to provide healthcare to their employees and allows them to band together to pay the same rates for healthcare that big corporations pay. By reducing their healthcare costs, small businesses will be able to invest more in their companies and create jobs.

60%

Anzalone Liszt survey of 600 likely Hispanic voters nationwide, 480 contacted by land line and 120 by cell phone. The survey was conducted November 29-December 5, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 4.0%.

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Requiring members of Congress get their coverage from the same plans as Americans and ensuring security was the top-testing message overall and among key persuasion audiences, such as Independents, Persuadables, low info voters and white women.

Audiences Very Persuasive Reason to Support (%)

Overall 44

Persuadables 50

Low info voters 49

White Women47

Independents45

MESSAGE: Reform requires that members of Congress get their healthcare coverage from the same plans as millions of Americans. It will also make healthcare coverage more secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing conditions, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick.

Anzalone Liszt survey of 1,000 likely general election voters nationwide. The survey was conducted April 19-25, 2010. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.

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Key Findings

Independent women, older women, and women of color are key populations to inform, persuade, and mobilize.

• Independent women go from supporting it by 1 point to 33 points by the end of the survey, and older women go from opposing it by 9 points to supporting it by 20 points

• African American women go from 39 points in support to 64 points by the end of the survey.

• Latinas increase from 32 points to 65 points.

• Young women go from 4 points in support to 31 points.

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In response to the argument that health care costs are already too high and these new provisions will increase everyone’s premiums, it is more effective to focus on the savings to families than decreasing business costs. This is primarily due to women’s reactions. Overall the family cost beats the opposition by double digits, while the business approach ties.

Opposition Argument: Health Care CostsSome/ other people say health care costs are already expensive enough, adding free birth control will increase everyone's premiums.

Response: Saves Families Money Some/other people say covering birth control as part of preventive coverage today saves families $26 a month on average, helping families in these tough economic times.*Beats the opposition statement by 11 points (49% to 38%); Among women: +23 points; Among men: -2 points; Among independent women: +29 points

Response: Decreases Business Costs

Some/other people say covering birth control as part of preventive coverage decreases business costs by 15% and increases productivity.*Ties the opposition message (42% to 43%); Among women: even; Among men: -1 point; Among independent women: -6 points


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Voters do not buy the government mandate frame on birth control. They side with the statement by 21 points that birth control is basic preventive care because it respects others to make important life decisions and gives people more options over when and whether to have children.

Opposition Argument: Government MandateSome/ other people say free contraceptives is another government mandate and now we have government micro-managing people's health care.

Response: Preventive Care/Respect for Important Life DecisionsSome/other people say birth control is basic preventive care because it respects others to make important life decisions and gives people more options over when and whether to have children. Beats the opposition statement by 21 points (56% to 35%); Among women: +30 points; Among men: +11 points; Among independent women: +31 points


Things to do regarding health care reform, things to avoid

DO DO NOTLet voters know the health care reform law passed

Assume everyone already knows health care reform passed

Use personal stories to convey critical benefits of reform

List off benefits outside of any personal context

Explain in simple terms how the law works

Assume they understand the law and how it will affect them

Focus on the handful of core provisions that are most important

Barrage voters with a long list of benefits they won’t remember

Keep it simple, using terms they can understand

Use complex language or insider jargon

Use “bridge” or “transition” language to relax defenses

Use heated political rhetoric or congratulatory language

Address scarcity and cost concerns

Say that the law will reduce deficits

Celinda [email protected]

Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NYLakeResearch.com202.776.9066

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.lakeresearch.com/

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Celinda Lake Lake Research Partners Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY LakeResearch.com 202.776.9066