…from Cover Oregon. While Covered California won’t start its television advertising until later this year (despite our urging to start sooner), other states like Colorado are starting to show how they will be marketing the new health coverage and benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Here’s Oregon’s ad:
It’s very Oregon, which is part of the ad’s charm. And it’s indicative of the very state-centric approach of the federal health law. Despite (or because of) the complaints about the ACA being a federal takeover of health care, the law takes a very federalist approach, providing a framework and funding but allowing states significant discretion in how to implement.
This has a bad side, as several states are not doing the Medicaid expansion, denying health coverage to millions of low-income Americans. And for those that are running the health insurance marketplaces and exchanges, there are major differences–as exemplified by this joint interview by Capitol Public Radio by Pauline Bartelone, between the directors of the exchanges in California and Nevada.
We are really proud that California has a consumer-friendly exchange that is “active purchaser,” that will bargain for the best price and value; one that has strong conflict-of-interest provisions so the health industry is not on both sides of the bargaining table; and one that standardizes health plans so consumers can make apples-to-apples comparisons. California has taken this flexibility and used it to provide a better experience for consumers.
This flexibility, for better or worse, does allow states to tailor their implementation, including that of marketing their Exchanges, to their populations, like this one celebrating the Oregon way. Or this one:
We look forward to seeing California’s way.