2013
I spent from 1961 to 2010 attempting to communicate health benefits to 10,000 employees and their families; to educate them about making the right choice, using their benefits effectively, evaluating their costs and more. My team and I made thousands of presentations, prepared unique print communications, developed one of the first employee benefit websites with numerous online tools to help with decision making, we set up a call center to answer questions, sent an endless number of global e-mails throughout the company and to employee homes and talked to more people than there are Frosted Flakes in a box.
We did all this continuously for over forty-five years and still … and still employees paid little attention when selecting their health plan, they frequently made poor choices, wasted their own money and typically failed to take advantage of the plans they had available. In other words, I was never able to reach grocery store nirvana. I am a failure, especially if you believe news stories like the one below.
One thing I did learn is that is people really don’t like choice, they are afraid of making the wrong choice and find it extremely difficult to assess different plan designs relative to their personal situations. Once they make a choice, they tend to stay with it even if it becomes economically a poor decision.
Enter six insurers and 165 plans in Illinois … for what? Granted it is unlikely that all of Illinois will have 165 plan choices, but no doubt there will be numerous choices for just about everyone. That will add to the confusion and perhaps lead to no choice at all as people are frustrated trying to figure out what to do.
If you think about it the decision people have to make involves trying to estimate what they will spend on health care the following year, what type of health care they will receive, if there will be new or fewer dependents, what they can afford to spend out of pocket and then weighing those potential costs with premiums. They must sort through scores of health plans in an attempt to decide which best meets their needs. Oh yes, they must also determine if their physicians participate in the plan they want to select. This is an daunting task.
I guess I am also a little depressed over the fact what took me four decades to learn, will be accomplished by community organizations in 90 days. On the other hand, I didn’t have $27 million to work with.
I make these observations not because I want Obamacare to fail (it doesn’t need help from me), nor will I take delight in further problems that will develop. Rather, I feel extreme frustration over the naivety of the people writing stories like this, stories not designed to inform and factually educate, but to promote the law and in the process create unrealistic expectations.
Shopping for health insurance soon will be as convenient as choosing between Frosted Flakes and Cheerios at a grocery store…
The Exchange is a website that will serve as a central location for residents and small businesses to compare and choose from dozens of insurance plans. Six providers – including well-known companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield – have proposed 165 plans that are awaiting approval…
State (Illinois) officials have said they initially expect 500,000 residents to seek insurance when the Exchange opens Oct. 1 and expect it to increase to 1 million people by 2016. State officials have been training community organizations to act as counselors for those needing assistance understanding premiums, deductibles, co-pays and other insurance issues…
Quinn (governor) announced Wednesday that the state received a $27 million federal grant to disperse to 44 community organizations for the training and outreach that will be needed.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Generally, people do not like change. In regards to selecting health care options due to the complexity of the language and tons of options, people would rather rely on some form of trusted source to help them make such decisions. I have attempted to help someone review the various packets of information and table of costs and deductibles. Even I, with some experience in the process find it overwhelming. Invariably, the decision one makes will have consequences and then, after they make the “best” choice, comes the “but my friend chose xyz plan and did you know they do not cover this or that which used to be covered in ‘our’ other plan?”.
The choices are overwhelming (lower premium costs vs higher deductible costs or out-of-pocket costs or what is and what is not covered) that are purportedly outlined in “simple terms” in various columns in the documentation is beyond comprehension for the average person. I really can not see how this government will be able to present information for folks to make intelligent choices in any three month period. They could not throw enough money or information to help people make the right choice – whatever that may be.
You are not the failure here – you have helped more people than think. The ones you helped make the right decisions are not the ones complaining – it is the ones who do not take you advice or who do not get involved that do all the complaining.
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You are certainly right about people not wanting choice when it involves something as complex as health insurance plans. I think many people are uncomfortable making a difficult choice and would rather have someone else make the decision for them.
See Buridan’s ass .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buridan%27s_ass
Having only two choices can lock some peoples brains up, so just imagine 165.
“A choice between cheerios and frosted flakes” is an attempt to trivialize a major decision in peoples lives.
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