What You Can Do to Join the Health Care Reform Debate

What You Can Do to Join the Health Care Reform Debate

Webinar Three

Hosted By Jud SommerSenior Vice President, Government Affairs

UnitedHealth Group

July 2, 2009

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Topics CoveredTopics Covered

• Importance of Participation• Your participation is completely voluntary, and you may express any opinion you may have. You

should feel free to identify yourself as an employee of UnitedHealth Group, but you need to be clear that you are speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the company.

• Ways to Participate

• Letters/Emails

• Phone Calls

• Town Hall Meetings

• Spread the Word

• Keep Current

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Importance of ParticipationImportance of Participation

• Legislators know how big and important health care

reform legislation is to their constituents.

• Legislators want to hear personally from their

constituents – YOU.

• Legislators will interpret (relative) silence and

invisibility as a lack of interest.

“I prefer to learn about issues from constituents. They trump everything else.”

-- U.S. House of Representatives Chief of Staff

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Congress Congress

• Congress is a unique entity and operates differently than a corporation.

• Health Reform is one of many issues Members of Congress are working on this Summer/Fall.

• Staffers are key in developing and providing recommendations to Members of Congress on specific issues. It is the Members’ staff who answer the phone and draft legislation.

• Often on key legislative issues staffers keep track of constituents based on whether they support or oppose an issue.

• Each legislator has a Washington, D.C. office and at least one, if not multiple, district or state offices.

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Ways to Participate in Health ReformWays to Participate in Health Reform

• Email/Write letters to your Senators and Representative.

• Place telephone calls to legislators’ Washington, D.C. and district and state offices.

• Attend, express your opinion, or ask questions at town hall meetings.

• Keep current and stay engaged at - www.UnitedforHealthReform.com

• Spread the word to family and friends and co-workers.

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Emailing/Writing Your Member of CongressEmailing/Writing Your Member of Congress

• The United for Health Reform website under the “Take Action – Write Your Lawmakers” tab has a draft template letter, that with the addition of your name and address, can be emailed directly to your Representative and Senators.

• www.unitedforhealthreform.com/action/take-action

• Letters/Emails are most effective if they are personalized.

• Change the subject line to make your point in 5 words or less.

• Add any personalized details regarding your role and expertise in the health care field.

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Take Action - Draft Letter TemplateTake Action - Draft Letter Template

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Telephone Calls to Elected OfficialsTelephone Calls to Elected Officials

• Find your Senators and Representatives contact information at the United for Health Reform website under the “Take Action – Find Your Elected Officials” tab.

• www.unitedforhealthreform.com/action/find-elected-officials

• When you call your legislators’ offices, you will speak to a member of your Senators’ or Representative’s staff.

• Give the staff member your name and address.

• Be sure to note any personal connections you may have with the legislator: shared affiliations, face-to-face encounters, mutual friends.

• Express your opinion in a clear and concise manner.

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Attending Town Hall MeetingsAttending Town Hall Meetings

• Attending a town hall meeting is a great opportunity for you to have an impact.

• Come prepared knowing the opinion you want to express or a few key, concise questions that voice concerns about the lives of constituents and makes a specific request of the official.

• If you don’t have the opportunity to ask your question or share your opinion, either submit your question via email or share with the members’ staff.

• Visit the United for Health Reform website “Stay Informed – Events Calendar” for a listing of all upcoming town hall meetings.

• www.unitedforhealthreform.com/events

• Use the Town Hall Toolkit on the United for Health Reform website.

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Spread the WordSpread the Word

• Word of mouth is one of the best ways to communicate your concerns and priorities.

• Share Your Story at United for Health Reform

• www.unitedforhealthreform.com/forms/sign/ share-your-story

• Ask your friends, family, and fellow co-workers to write letters to Congress.

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Communication Best PracticesCommunication Best Practices

• Be Focused: Ask your elected representatives to reform health care by building on the current employer-based system.

• Be Personal: Discuss how the proposed policies would impact you and your family.

• Be Local: Talk about the innovation taking place every day at UnitedHealth Group that creates solutions that address some of our biggest problems facing patients – containing costs, modernizing medicine, and improving delivery.

• Be Current: Keep up to date at - www.UnitedforHealthReform.com.

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Keep CurrentKeep Current

• Login and Obtain a password at the United for Health Reform website by inputting your work email address.

• www.UnitedforHealthReform.com

• The United for Health Reform website is your go-to site to get health reform facts, updates, a listing of all upcoming town hall events, and all the latest news.

• Be sure to sign up to receive updates as the legislative process moves on and events are scheduled for your area.

• Follow United for Health Reform on Twitter. Have your friends and family follow us too!

• Share your thoughts and stories.

• View archived webinars.

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ResourcesResources

LEARN - Get the Facts on Health Reformwww.HealthReformFacts.com

ACT - United for Health Reformwww.UnitedforHealthReform.com