Friday, January 24, 2014

Insurance Marketing Burn to be Passed to Patients

According to this morning's Wall Street Journal, Aetna, Inc. has noticed that "the evolution of the U.S. health-insurance market will soon push insurers to spend billions more on marketing to consumers" - as much as "fivefold" more.  "Advertising is the game," they said.

A game except that the "the consumers" will be paying for this marketing.

Which leads those of us in health care to contemplate what the marketing will look like.  No doubt there will be plenty of smiling faces doing vigorous activities or looking longingly at computer screens.

But if they look to the example set by "Covered California" (that one blogger quipped looks like "a laughable rip in the time/space continuum"), we should stand up and scream.  Here's how our tax dollars were recently spent as Richard Simmons tried to convince young "invincibles" to sign up for "Covered California:"



What a waste -

-Wes

7 comments:

Jay said...

If you haven't seen them already, check out the Colorado ACA ads. Love the out of the box thinking here:

http://jezebel.com/bro-tastic-colorado-health-insurance-ads-offer-brosuran-1450079617

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/11/24/246590664/colorado-ads-use-sex-and-alcohol-to-sell-health-insurance

Jay

Jay said...

Quick follow up. Oh My. This Richard Simmons video is far, far, worse than I could have imagined. I feel bad trying to bring up the Colorado ads, which are tasteful and clever in comparison. Had to stop. Doesn't even work as ironic camp.

Jay

Anonymous said...

My patients are going bankrupt trying to pay the Obamacare deductibles and copays. Looking at the big picture, it is less expensive to forgo Obamacare and just pay cash at the doctors office.
This is an unmitigated disaster.

Anonymous said...

Dear Healthcare Provider, please allow me to break this to you gently...

the consumer always pays. I appreciate your concern. However, I guess I missed your complaints when Pharma was allowed to advertise directly to consumers. I'm pretty sure those costs were passed on to us, too.
LOVE your remedy regarding deducts and copays! Just pay me in cash directly on your way out. Humanity at its best. One question though... Should I need hospitalization, who should get the $50 grand payment as I check out?

"Anonymous" are you SURE you don't want to reconsider your comment?

Anonymous said...

How about a lesson in basic math skills? If insurance companies are guaranteed a 10% margin, who cares if hospital prices rise? The same applies for college costs. When tuition was $10k/yr, a 10% increase equated to $1000. Tuition is closer to $20k/yr with that same 10% increase this equates to $2000.

"Anonymous" 12:38, don't allow your ideology to blind you of the simple fact that Obamacare is akin to paying cadillac premiums for catastrophic coverage.

orthodoc said...

I was under the impression that part of the problem with for-profit insurance companies (the big meanies) was that they spent tons of money on non-medical things like advertising. And that was what was so great about government-run health care - it was more efficient!
At least that's what we were told four years ago when we had to pass the bill to find out what was in it.

Unknown said...

I couldn't even bring myself to watch......

Richard Simmons AND the pimping of an insurance company??

((shudders))