Over 300 packed a recent healthcare reform seminar sponsored in Youngstown by Anthem and the Regional Chamber.
Communication around healthcare reform reached a fever pitch in March when Congress passed the controversial reform bill. But those were certainly not the last words on the subject.
In the past three months, backers and critics have geared up to battle over the specific rules of the reform. The federal law has been challenged in court by 20 state governments.
And in the workplace, business leaders are trying to define the impact of the new law on their employees and shareholders.
While this is a period of frustrating uncertainty for anyone involved with communicating about healthcare reform, it’s also a time of tremendous opportunity.
There’s nothing like change to drive demand for strategic, clear and concise communication, and healthcare reform will bring major change.
Don’t just wait for specifics to emerge
As far as the specific impact of healthcare reform, there are certainly many questions that cannot yet be answered.
But there is work to do now on the communications front, and here are some steps communications leaders can be taking.
- Sharpen the communications channels. This may finally be the time to update the website, finalize the email version of the newsletter, clean up the bugs in the employee portal or start those regular brown-bag lunch meetings. Is two-way communication a reality yet?
- Learn the primary concerns of your publics. What do they want to know or need to know? Maybe it’s time to get moving on that survey software you’ve put in a file for the right time. At some point, it will be too late for surveys.
- Get familiar with the new concepts the law will introduce, like insurance exchanges and grandfathering. The White House has an extensive FAQ online, and various activists and consultants have posted information as well. But much of it is slanted, generic or both, and not in the least customized to your key publics.
- If you work in an advisory capacity, have a point of view. Some law firms are posting observations about the reform on their blogs, as are some accounting firms. This is a time when companies will need counsel, and proactive advisers will have a lot to gain.
If you’re involved with any other communications strategies that advance understanding of the impending reform, or have a point of view about it, your comments are welcome.
