Cover Oregon, the state’s new health insurance marketplace, rolled out its comprehensive marketing campaign last week that features TV, radio and online ads created by Oregon artists, and an on-the-ground outreach effort in partnership with agents, community organizations, Tribes, providers, business associations, state agencies and other key partners. In total, the first phase of the advertising campaign, including production and the media buy, will cost approximately $3.2 million.
The goal is to let as many Oregonians as possible know about the new online marketplace and how individuals, families and small businesses can compare and enroll in health coverage that fits their needs and budget. People who don’t get health coverage through Medicare, their employer or the Oregon Health Plan will have to shop for new policies next year as federal changes kick in.
Cover Oregon is the only place to access financial assistance to help pay for that coverage and enrollment begins in October, with coverage starting in January 2014.
“Health coverage will be more accessible than ever,” said Howard “Rocky” King, executive director for Cover Oregon. “It’s our job is to make sure Oregonians are aware of Cover Oregon and the options they have to find the right coverage for them that fits their needs and budget. That’s why we’re spreading the word through both the media and our growing on-the-ground network of local, grassroots partners and agents.”
The two TV spots feature the Long Live Oregonians anthem sung by Portland-based musician Matt Sheehy of Lost Lander, and an ode to Cover Oregon from folk singer Laura Gibson, a Coquille, Oregon-native who is currently touring with the Portland Cello Project. The campaign also includes TV and radio spots from Lifesavas, Vikesh Kapoor, Edna Vazquez (coming soon in Spanish language) and Dave Depper, as well as artwork from artists across the state.
“It was really important to us that we kept this true to Oregon. We were reminded by the song that Bonneville Power Administration asked Woodie Guthrie to write to help explain how the Bonneville Dam would benefit Oregonians,” said Mark Ray, creative director for Cover Oregon’s advertising agency, NORTH. “We were inspired. We asked local artists to be a part of this movement and, in that way, were able to put dollars back into the Oregon artist community and into a population of people who are traditionally uninsured.”
In total, the first phase of the advertising campaign, including production and the media buy, will cost approximately $3.2 million. The second phase of the campaign which begins in October will focus on enrolling Oregonians in health coverage by directing them to CoverOregon.com.
Cover Oregon will also be funding community-based organizations throughout the state to conduct outreach and enrollment assistance to hard-to-reach populations. Other grants are going to business associations to assist with small business outreach, provider organizations to conduct enrollment assistance in clinics and Tribal partners. Cover Oregon has also spoken at more than 80 conferences, meetings and events, and will continue to do this through the fall. In addition, Cover Oregon is training an estimated 1,5000 insurance agents in more than 60 trainings across the state.
Outreach materials such as brochures and fact sheets will be available for order in the coming weeks through CoverOregon.com.
Oregonians can go to CoverOregon.com/ads to view and share the TV, radio and digital ads, and follow Cover Oregon’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn networks. They can also go to CoverOregon.com to check their potential eligibility for financial help and sign up for email updates, talk to an insurance agent, community partner or call 55-268-3767 to talk to a trained specialist on the phone, with assistance available in multiple languages.
