Kriste Goad
Senior Vice President, Revive
We promised we’d unpack the Seven Insights behind a successful employer engagement effort, and today we take on Insight #1: Lose the “Mumbo Jumbo.”
Business is booming for firms that can help companies navigate the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a recent article in the Des Moines Register, because “less than 10 percent of employers totally understand the law.”
Being generous, that’s probably about equal to the percentage of Congress that understood the law before they passed it. Even the most astute members had to work from a plain-English summary of what was supposedly in the bill because the actual language of the bill was so “confusing,” “arcane,” “incomprehensible,” and “hard stuff to understand” (actual words used by legislators to describe the bill).
Prior to its passing, Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Del., was quoted as saying, “I don’t expect to actually read the legislative language because reading the legislative language is among the more confusing things I’ve ever read in my life.”
So what did Sen. Carper and hundreds more do before deciding on the bill? They read the translated version, and they listened to those they trusted to give them the information they needed to take action.
That’s exactly what most employers do when making decisions about their health care spending, and too often providers just sit back and let the payors do most of the talking.
If you’re a provider and you think it’s important to develop a strategy to survive and thrive in the wake of health reform, then you should also think about how you’re communicating your strategy to the community: namely, the business community.
After all, if you’re not talking to employers, you can bet your revenue stream that someone else is, and they’re most likely talking about you in less-than-flattering ways.
Too much is as stake to let others define you. Make the connection with employers and the business community to tell your story. And when you do, lose the “mumbo jumbo.” Shoot straight. That’s what we heard from interviews with thousands of employers across the country.
The vernacular is extremely important.
People glaze over when they hear terms like “accountable care organization,” “population health,” and “patient-centered medical home.” They’re unfamiliar terms, and there aren’t really any examples to provide a point of reference. Without definition, most employers believe these new models of care are government programs.
Once you explain the terms, however, employers are in favor, and medical homes test better than ACOs. Many believe new models have the potential to lower costs and increase coordination of care. The key is communicating about these things in relatable terms.
Answer the question, “What does this mean for me?” Rebrand or package these models, or whatever efforts you’re pursuing, in a way that will be memorable, meaningful, and understandable to the community. Employers want to see a focus on efficiency, reducing duplication of care, and greater coordination that will result in better quality and lower costs over time.
When you open up a dialogue and communicate clearly and honestly with employers and brokers, they will give you the benefit of the doubt. They might even take your advice, influencing their benefit plan choices and coverage decisions.
If you want to take steps to open up that dialogue with your employer community and communicate in plain English, we can help. Just call or email us (805.617.2832 or learnmore@RevivePR.com).
NEXT UP: A closer look at Employer Insight #2: Quality is about people, and being treated like a person.