California’s new health insurance marketplace will start advertising through TV commercials this week. Health Care Reporter Pauline Bartolone in Sacramento has more on the choice of messaging.
One of the Covered California ads features images of road signs, and shows a family driving down the California coastline with smiles on their faces and wind in their hair.
“Soon, Californians from Sacramento to Salinas to San Diego will have equal access to quality health insurance. Those who need financial assistance will get it. And nobody will be denied because of a preexisting condition.”
A Spanish language commercial shows people opening doors to their houses and workplaces. Dana Howard of Covered California says the goal is to make viewers feel ‘welcome’ to buy health insurance under the federal health law, "and assure them that this is going to deliver them a new state of piece of mind."
The first two ads will air in select markets. But later this fall, different ads will take on a more serious tone, highlighting incidents of injury and illness.
"The feeling that it won’t happen to me is more prevalent among younger people, and we most certainly want and need younger people to enroll in Covered California. But the messaging is to everyone," says Howard.
Open enrollment for Covered California starts October 1st for health coverage beginning in January.
