Transcript Slide 1

Messaging on the Affordable
Care Act
Celinda Lake
Lake Research Partners
Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY
LakeResearch.com
202.776.9066
Overview
 Let people know the health reform law has passed
 Shift from a political frame to consumer frame
 Anchor messaging around key provisions:




End to pre-existing conditions
No hidden caps
Prevention including birth control, wellness exams, and exams for seniors
No discrimination by gender
 Latinos are especially unaware of key provisions of ACA, and shift overwhelmingly towards
us after learning about these provisions.
 Note many of these provisions are values oriented for women
 Values oriented messaging matters – security, prevention, protection,
wellness
 Tap into the politics of resentment as well
 Inoculate against cost concerns. Emphasize personal cost, not cost to the
economy
2
Key Findings
Voters aren’t paying attention to the Affordable Care Act.
•
Knowledge about the ACA is relatively low, with
only about one in four likely voters saying they
know a significant amount about the new law.
•
Women know slightly less about the ACA than
men, despite being the people who are focused
on health care. Right now the ACA is a
“political” issue, rather than a “health care
service.” That has to change to increase
support and gain women’s attention.
ACA Favorability among Women 50+
For the first time in Kaiser Family Foundation
health tracking polls, older women are more
favorable than unfavorable.
February 2012: 47% favorable, 37% unfavorable
3
Let voters know it passed
• Many voters—especially Latino voters and blue
collar women—are not even sure Congress has
passed a health care reform law. Voters who
don’t even realize health care reform is now the
law are more susceptible to the myths and scare
tactics of opponents.
“I don't think it has passed.” [Blue collar woman,
Philadelphia]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
Key Findings
Use a consumer frame.
•
Protections (no denials for pre-existing
conditions for themselves and children);
Prevention provisions (well woman focus);
and Non-discrimination (cost of coverage
for women and men the same)
•
These tap into core values of prevention and wellness, security and
protection.
Shifting emphasis from a political frame to a consumer frame helps move
women, bridge generations of women, and doesn’t alienate men.
5
Key Findings
Emphasize prevention services.
•
Voters strongly support services that fall under
a broad wellness and prevention frame. The
most powerful message is simply the services
included.
Inoculate against cost concerns.
•
Prevention and other elements of law help
women/families save their dollars. Talking about families
works much better than talking about businesses saving
money.
6
Key Findings
Target specific populations of women and use appropriate comprehensive
prevention messaging.
•
Older women respond to coverage of
mammograms, cancer screenings, preventive
coverage of annual exams with no co-pays, and
Medicare with no co-pays.
•
Younger women also respond strongly to birth
control at no additional cost and prenatal care.
7
Key Findings
Effective messages resonate on a core value level.
•
The best messages in support of the new health care reform law focus on
prevention and making health care more secure for families. These messages
are strong among voters who shift toward supporting the ACA. Older women
also respond to protecting Medicare.
•
These top messages tap into core values of
prevention and wellness, security, and protection.
The top messages also evoke the “politics of
resentment” with references to the fact
members of Congress will have the same
coverage.
8
Attitudes on Health Care Services Covered Under the ACA
The most popular services covered under the ACA – among those
tested – include no denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions,
coverage of preventive services, and not charging women more
than men for coverage. Support for the individual elements is
often higher than support for the overall law.
The most popular services covered under the ACA – among those tested for men
– include no denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions for children or in
general, cannot charge women more than men for coverage, mammograms and
cancer screenings with no co-pay, and no denial of coverage for pre-existing
conditions including pregnancy, rape, cancer, and domestic violence.
Impact on Favorability Toward ACA - Men
No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions for
children
Mean
55
70
7.8
7.3
No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions*
45
Mammograms and cancer screenings with no co-pay*
43
59
7.0
42
58
6.9
No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions
including pregnancy, rape, cancer, and domestic…
Cannot charge women more than men for insurance
coverage, which has been allowed previously
64
41
58
7.1
60
7.1
Prenatal care
37
Preventive care in medicare with no co-pay*
35
Annual physical exams*
34
52
6.6
Annual well-woman preventive exam*
33
51
6.7
*Split sampled questions
6.6
54
Rated 8-10
Rated 10
Lake Research survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide using RDD. The survey was comprised of a base sample of 800 likely voters
(400 men and 400 women) with an oversample of 200 female voters nationwide. In the combined totals, respondents in the female
oversample were weighted down to reflect their actual proportion among the population. The survey was conducted August 4
through 10, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
10
For women, they respond even more intensely to the same services than men.
Additionally, they strongly support coverage of annual well-woman preventive
exams.
Impact on Favorability Toward ACA - Women
No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions for
children
Cannot charge women more than men for insurance
coverage, which has been allowed previously
Mean
68
80
8.7
65
79
8.5
60
76
8.4
Annual well-woman preventive exam*
57
75
8.3
Mammograms and cancer screenings with no co-pay*
56
72
8.2
55
74
8.2
No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions*
No denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions
including pregnancy, rape, cancer, and domestic…
Prenatal care
52
70
8.0
Annual physical exams*
52
70
7.9
Preventive care in Medicare with no co-pay*
*Split sampled questions
46
7.6
64
Rated 8-10
Rated 10
Lake Research survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide using RDD. The survey was comprised of a base sample of 800 likely voters
(400 men and 400 women) with an oversample of 200 female voters nationwide. In the combined totals, respondents in the female
oversample were weighted down to reflect their actual proportion among the population. The survey was conducted August 4
through 10, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
11
After hearing about the provisions, support among Hispanics for the health care law
rose 16 points. Just by informing them of the provisions of the law, we can elevate
their support. Top provisions include increasing funding for health centers, cracking
down on waste, and making preventive care free.
Support for ACA Provisions - Hispanics
Increases funding for community health centers to
improve healthcare in communities that need it most
62
Cracks down on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare
59
Makes preventive care free by eliminating co-pays for
annual check-ups, mammograms, and other cancer
screenings
58
Provides tax credits to small businesses to make
healthcare coverage for their employees more
affordable
56
Cracks down on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid
55
Requires that members of Congress get their
healthcare coverage from the same plans as tens of
millions of Americans
54
Provides financial assistance to uninsured families
earning under $88,000 so that they can get affordable
healthcare
53
Anzalone Liszt survey of 600 likely Hispanic voters nationwide, 480 contacted by land line and 120 by cell phone. The survey was
conducted November 29-December 5, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 4.0%.
12
For seniors, making it illegal for insurance companies to drop
people who get sick, requiring members of Congress get
their coverage from the same plans as Americans, and
cutting waste in Medicare and closing the donut hole are
strong reasons to support the law.
Top Benefits: % Much More Likely to Support
Makes it illegal for insurance companies to drop coverage for people who get sick
White
Seniors
(23%)
47
Requires that members of Congress get their healthcare coverage from the same
plans that tens of millions of Americans would get their healthcare coverage from
47
Cuts waste in Medicare and Medicaid and lowers prescription drug costs for seniors
by closing the current gap in Medicare, sometimes referred to as the “donut hole”
46
Requires insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions
Creates new competitive insurance markets that will increase competition among
insurance companies to help lower healthcare costs.
Anzalone Liszt survey of 1,000 likely general election voters nationwide. The survey was conducted April 19-25, 2010. The margin of
error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
44
41
13
Messaging in Support of the Affordable Care Act
The best messages in support of the new health care reform law focus on
prevention and making health care more secure for families. These
messages are strong among voters who shift toward supporting the ACA.
These top messages tap into core values of prevention and wellness,
security, and protection. Additionally, communicating through personal
stories is a very effective vehicle for advocates.
Use personal stories coupled with clear, simple
descriptions of how the law works
•
A compelling personal story helps tremendously to:
–
–
–
–
–
•
Make the health care reform law real,
Break down resistance,
Tap into anger about how things were under the old system,
Provide hope for how health care reform can make it better, and
Help voters retain knowledge of key provisions.
Given the lack of information about how health reform works, it is essential
to include with the story a short description of two or three key benefits of
the law illustrated by the story to help make the benefits crystal clear and
reinforce them.
“I like a plan if it helps a man like that.” [Senior man, Philadelphia]
“This [story] is why I believe in giving reform a try.” [Senior woman, Charlotte]
“If I saw Lindsay here actually telling the story, like wow, we did the right
thing.” [Younger male, Charlotte]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
Tell how the law works, focus on the core provisions that
voters value, and keep it simple
• Focus on how the law will:
– End pre-existing condition exclusions for adults and children,
– Provide small business tax credits to help them provide coverage for
their employees, and
– Require insurers to provide no-cost coverage of preventive care.
“I just think they need to do away with pre-existing conditions, if that is
something that was passed.” [Blue collar woman, Philadelphia]
“I think that it helps small businesses is really important.” [Blue collar
woman, Las Vegas]
“What is going to happen is preventive care like mammograms and
things like that, there is not going to be a co-pay.” [Senior Woman,
Charlotte]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
Use “transition” or “bridge” language to meet voters where
they are and relax their defenses
•
Even low information voters have been exposed to a lot of negative
messages about health care reform, and they generally start from a position
of apprehensiveness, fear, and doubt.
•
Advocates should not be afraid to concede that the law is not perfect, or
“not the law any of us would have written.”
•
This helps make any message to follow more relatable and credible.
•
Follow-up with a positive statement like “but it does some good things…”
and briefly describe the key provisions described earlier.
•
It is strong to talk about “improving” the health care law.
“I agree we need to give it a chance because not everything new is always
perfect.” [Blue collar woman, Philadelphia]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
Keep claims small, clear, and credible; don’t overpromise or
“spin” what the law will deliver
• Large-scale claims about the broad impact of
health care reform are not reassuring to voters,
and big promises about what it will deliver are
not credible—regardless of factual accuracy.
“This [narrative] is soft spoken. It doesn't make any loud
claims and it doesn't have what I have killed the other
ones for.” [Younger male, Charlotte]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
Avoid overheated political rhetoric
• Messages that employ partisan, celebratory, or selfcongratulatory elements fall flat with these voters and
are counterproductive.
• They want to know how the law works and how it will
affect them and their families—and they are in no mood
to listen to politicians take a victory lap for passing a law
that many see as partisan, rushed, and deeply flawed.
“I crossed that out, actually [that it was ‘amazing Congress actually passed
it’]. That and it's about time they actually did something rather than just
arguing about it. I thought there was a lot of good stuff in this statement
but that statement alone took away from it because it is like yeah, pat on
the back they did it. Yes, do you want a cookie now? It doesn't add any
credibility to what they are trying to get across. It detracts from it.”
[Younger female, Charlotte]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
Talk about Congress being part of the same system
(being on the same “plan” would be even stronger if
true).
• One key to reducing skepticism about the law is to tell voters that
Congress will be part of the same system.
• While for some the claim doesn’t seem credible, for others it’s a
strong sign that the new system couldn’t be all bad if members of
Congress are participating in it.
• What voters really want is for Congress to give everyone the same
health care benefits they are getting.
“That would help [if Congress will be required to have the same coverage as
everyone else].” [Suburban woman, St. Louis]
“It is very simple. All they have to do is give us what they're getting. That's
all. Why don't they give us the same plan they're getting, the politicians.”
[Blue collar woman, Las Vegas]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
FOR SENIORS: It is critical to reassure seniors that Medicare
will not be cut. Use a relevant personal story to illustrate the
benefits to seniors.
•
Relative to other groups, seniors are somewhat more informed about the
law, but are also highly critical.
•
There is concern that the health care law helps the uninsured at the expense
of those with insurance and/or Medicare.
•
Senior oriented messages that focus on the policy benefits to seniors and
endorsements by the AARP fall flat.
•
What works best is a personal story about an older person who falls ill and
encounters the kinds of tragic consequences that were possible under the
old system, but not after reform—like ending the rescissions when people
get sick, ending lifetime caps, and creating a reinsurance program for those
55-64 years of age who retire early.
“I like a plan if it helps a man like that.” [Senior man, Philadelphia]
“This [story] is why I believe in giving reform a try.” [Senior woman, Charlotte]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
FOR NON-COLLEGE EDUCATED WOMEN: Tell them health care passed.
Explain in simple terms what’s in the law and how it will affect them. Let
them know they can keep the coverage they have now.
•
Because they lack information, non-college women start out as a fairly tough audience for health
care reform, but they may also have among the greatest potential of any group to oppose repeal
efforts once they understand some basic benefits of reform.
•
They respond well to transition language that diffuses their skepticism by acknowledging that the
bill isn’t perfect.
•
They want a simple explanation of what is in the bill, when the key provisions will take effect, and
how it will affect them and their families.
•
Non-college women are moved by personal stories, but couple them with a simple, concrete
description of what’s in the law.
•
Women’s stories, women’s voices, and provisions of health care that affect women are especially
helpful in winning over these women.
“Put it in English, so everybody knows if you are this age, or this income you are
going to get this coverage. That is something we don't have.” [Non-college woman,
Philadelphia]
“[I] feel optimistic about the reform. It might actually fix some of the issues with the
insurance companies.” [Non-college woman, Las Vegas]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
FOR LATINO VOTERS: Tell them health care passed. Explain in the key
provisions of the law and how it will affect them. Tell them Congress will
participate on the same plans. Focus on covering everybody including children,
coverage of prevention, and credits for small business.
•
Latino voters are not only unaware of the benefits of the health care reform
law, but many are not even aware that it had passed.
•
Use a compelling personal story coupled with a very basic explanation of
how the law works: namely ending insurance company exclusions for preexisting conditions—especially eliminating exclusions of children with preexisting conditions, no-cost coverage for preventive services, and tax credits
to help small businesses cover their employees.
•
Additionally, it helps for them to hear that members of Congress will also
receive the same coverage as everyone else.
•
Explain that lower income people will be helped to afford their coverage
through premiums based on a sliding scale, especially to Spanish-speaking
and downscale audiences.
“I think this explains it more. Not everyone is going to need the same type of health
coverage. They might make it affordable where you can have like a small premium so
people can afford, or if you are more sick, you can get better coverage.” [Latino
voter, Las Vegas]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
FOR VOTERS UNDER 40: Focus on a personal story about a
younger person that includes key provisions. Don’t make grand
claims about the law. Use “improve it” language.
• A personal story can be a transformative moment for young
people—making the issue relevant and real.
• Young voters appreciate core provisions of reform, like ending the
exclusion for pre-existing conditions, even if they also have qualms
about the government’s ability to execute.
• Keep all claims measured in tone and don’t make big promises
about health care reform.
“If I saw Lindsay here actually telling the story, like wow, we did the right
thing.” [Younger male, Charlotte]
“My big thing is I hate hearing over and over again just throw it out and
start over. I feel at some point somebody has to say okay, let's work with
what we've got here. Take the good pieces and turn it into something else.”
[Younger female, Charlotte]
Lake Research Partners conducted eight focus groups in four cities (Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; Philadelphia, PA; and St. Louis, MO)
between July 8-19, 2010. The groups were composed of seniors, blue collar women, voters under 40, Latinos, and rural and suburban
St. Louis women.
The best messages in support of the new health care reform law focus on
prevention and making health care more secure for families with references
to members of Congress getting the same coverage. After messaging, we see
a net gain of +20 in support for the law among men.
Very
Convincing
Total
Convincing
[Secure/Congress with no co-pay] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive
health care and women's health services with no co-pay, and make health care coverage more
secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing
condition, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will
also require that members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as
millions of Americans.*
45%
69%
[Broad Prevention] Starting this year, all new insurance plans must cover key prevention
services, like contraception, well-woman exams, and breast and cervical cancer screenings,
which many women have put off or sacrificed because of the cost involved. This will save
thousands of lives every year and bring down costs because it is far more effective to prevent
an unintended pregnancy and to detect cancer early. Covering preventive care as basic health
care, including family planning services, contraception, and birth control, is important to good
health care for women.*
38%
66%
[Secure/Congress with preventive] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive
services including birth control, and make health care coverage more secure by ensuring that
working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or lose their
coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will also require that
members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as millions of
Americans.
36%
65%
36%
63%
Messages - Men
[Protect Medicare] The new health care law will protect Medicare benefits for seniors and
strengthen the program for future generations by aggressively cracking down on waste, fraud
and abuse in Medicare, ending handouts to insurance companies, and providing free
preventive care with no co-pay, including mammograms and women's health services so that
we prevent costly emergency room visits and reduce health care costs in the long-run.*
Lake Research survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide using RDD. The survey was comprised of a base sample of 800 likely voters
(400 men and 400 women) with an oversample of 200 female voters nationwide. In the combined totals, respondents in the female
oversample were weighted down to reflect their actual proportion among the population. The survey was conducted August 4
through 10, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
25
The top four messages for women are the same as men, but women
react more intensely to the messages. After messaging, we see a net shift
of +28 in support towards the law.
Very
Convincing
Total
Convincing
[Broad Prevention] Starting this year, all new insurance plans must cover key prevention
services, like contraception, well-woman exams, and breast and cervical cancer screenings,
which many women have put off or sacrificed because of the cost involved. This will save
thousands of lives every year and bring down costs because it is far more effective to prevent
an unintended pregnancy and to detect cancer early. Covering preventive care as basic health
care, including family planning services, contraception, and birth control, is important to good
health care for women.*
53%
74%
[Secure/Congress with preventive] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive
services including birth control, and make health care coverage more secure by ensuring that
working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or lose their
coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will also require that
members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as millions of
Americans.
51%
77%
[Secure/Congress with no co-pay] The new healthcare law will provide basic preventive
health care and women's health services with no co-pay, and make health care coverage more
secure by ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing
condition, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick. It will
also require that members of Congress get their health care coverage from the same plans as
millions of Americans.*
50%
79%
50%
75%
Messages - Women
[Protect Medicare] The new health care law will protect Medicare benefits for seniors and
strengthen the program for future generations by aggressively cracking down on waste, fraud
and abuse in Medicare, ending handouts to insurance companies, and providing free
preventive care with no co-pay, including mammograms and women's health services so that
we prevent costly emergency room visits and reduce health care costs in the long-run.*
Lake Research survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide using RDD. The survey was comprised of a base sample of 800 likely voters
(400 men and 400 women) with an oversample of 200 female voters nationwide. In the combined totals, respondents in the female
oversample were weighted down to reflect their actual proportion among the population. The survey was conducted August 4
through 10, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
26
The top-testing messages among Hispanics focus on making care more
secure, covering preventive care, and reducing costs, though all
messages are very effective among Hispanics.
Messages – Hispanics
Much More Likely to
Support ACA
[Secure/Congress] The new healthcare law will make healthcare coverage more secure by
ensuring that working families cannot be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition, or
lose their coverage when someone gets sick. It will also require that members of Congress get
their healthcare coverage from the same plans as millions of Americans. If it is good enough
for Congress, then it will be good enough for working Americans.
[Preventive Care] The new healthcare law requires that all new insurance plans must cover
key prevention services, like annual-checkups, contraception, mammograms and other cancer
screenings with no co-pay. This will save thousands of lives every year and bring down costs
because it is far better to detect health problems early or prevent them entirely. Covering
preventive care, including check-ups and cancer screenings, is important to good healthcare.
[Reduce Costs] The new healthcare law will reduce costs for families by cracking down on
insurance companies unfair premium hikes, creating new competitive healthcare markets that
will increase competition among insurance companies, and by eliminating co-pays for
preventive care, including annual check-ups and cancer screenings. These changes will make
quality healthcare more affordable for working families.
[Create Jobs] The new healthcare law will help to create jobs by reducing healthcare costs for
small businesses. It gives tax credits to small businesses to make it easier for them to provide
healthcare to their employees and allows them to band together to pay the same rates for
healthcare that big corporations pay. By reducing their healthcare costs, small businesses will
be able to invest more in their companies and create jobs.
67%
66%
64%
60%
27
Anzalone Liszt survey of 600 likely Hispanic voters nationwide, 480 contacted by land line and 120 by cell phone. The survey was
conducted November 29-December 5, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 4.0%.
Requiring members of Congress get their coverage from the
same plans as Americans and ensuring security was the toptesting message overall and among key persuasion
audiences, such as Independents, Persuadables, low info
voters and white women.
MESSAGE: Reform requires that members of Congress get their healthcare coverage from the same plans as
millions of Americans. It will also make healthcare coverage more secure by ensuring that working families cannot
be denied coverage due to a pre-existing conditions, or lose their coverage or be forced into bankruptcy when
someone gets sick.
Audiences
Very Persuasive Reason to
Support (%)
Overall
44
Persuadables
50
Low info voters
49
White Women
Independents
47
45
Anzalone Liszt survey of 1,000 likely general election voters nationwide. The survey was conducted April 19-25, 2010. The margin of
error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
28
Key Findings
Independent women, older women, and women of color are key populations to
inform, persuade, and mobilize.
•
Independent women go from supporting it by 1
point to 33 points by the end of the survey,
and older women go from opposing it by 9
points to supporting it by 20 points
•
African American women go from 39 points
in support to 64 points by the end of the
survey.
•
Latinas increase from 32 points to
65 points.
•
Young women go from 4 points in
support to 31 points.
29
In response to the argument that health care costs are already too high and these
new provisions will increase everyone’s premiums, it is more effective to focus
on the savings to families than decreasing business costs. This is primarily due to
women’s reactions. Overall the family cost beats the opposition by double digits,
while the business approach ties.
Opposition Argument: Health Care Costs
Some/ other people say health care costs are already expensive enough, adding free birth
control will increase everyone's premiums.
Response: Saves Families Money
Some/other people say covering birth control as part of preventive coverage today saves
families $26 a month on average, helping families in these tough economic times.*
Beats the opposition statement by 11 points (49% to 38%); Among women: +23 points;
Among men: -2 points; Among independent women: +29 points
Response: Decreases Business Costs
Some/other people say covering birth control as part of preventive coverage decreases
business costs by 15% and increases productivity.*
Ties the opposition message (42% to 43%); Among women: even; Among men: -1 point;
Among independent women: -6 points
Lake Research survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide using RDD. The survey was comprised of a base sample of 800 likely voters
(400 men and 400 women) with an oversample of 200 female voters nationwide. In the combined totals, respondents in the female
oversample were weighted down to reflect their actual proportion among the population. The survey was conducted August 4
through 10, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
30
Voters do not buy the government mandate frame on birth control. They side
with the statement by 21 points that birth control is basic preventive care
because it respects others to make important life decisions and gives people
more options over when and whether to have children.
Opposition Argument: Government Mandate
Some/ other people say free contraceptives is another government mandate and now
we have government micro-managing people's health care.
Response: Preventive Care/Respect for Important Life Decisions
Some/other people say birth control is basic preventive care because it respects
others to make important life decisions and gives people more options over when and
whether to have children.
Beats the opposition statement by 21 points (56% to 35%); Among women: +30
points; Among men: +11 points; Among independent women: +31 points
Lake Research survey of 1,000 likely voters nationwide using RDD. The survey was comprised of a base sample of 800 likely voters
(400 men and 400 women) with an oversample of 200 female voters nationwide. In the combined totals, respondents in the female
oversample were weighted down to reflect their actual proportion among the population. The survey was conducted August 4
through 10, 2011. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.1%.
31
Things to do regarding health care reform, things
to avoid
DO
DO NOT
Let voters know the health care
reform law passed
Assume everyone already knows
health care reform passed
Use personal stories to convey critical
benefits of reform
List off benefits outside of any
personal context
Explain in simple terms how the law
works
Assume they understand the law and
how it will affect them
Focus on the handful of core
provisions that are most important
Barrage voters with a long list of
benefits they won’t remember
Keep it simple, using terms they can
understand
Use complex language or insider
jargon
Use “bridge” or “transition” language
to relax defenses
Use heated political rhetoric or
congratulatory language
Address scarcity and cost concerns
Say that the law will reduce deficits
Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NY
LakeResearch.com
202.776.9066
Celinda Lake
[email protected]