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April 26, 2021
Toolkit
Christine Haran
Debbie Chase
Publication
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Updated May 2022
This toolkit aims to support the development of a communications plan that effectively shares the value of and progress within a state’s cost growth target initiative. A communications plan should ensure clear communication across key stakeholders, specifically state executive branch officials, state legislators, employers, health advocates, providers, and payers, as well as journalists and the public. Resources in this toolkit will help state officials working on cost growth target initiatives highlight the project objectives and describe the rationale, progress, and evidence to date.
A communications plan is the first step for consistent, transparent sharing of information that provides a roadmap of goals, audiences, messages, and approaches to inform and engage audiences through press releases, infographics, meetings, and more. (Download the template.)
The communications plan should contain:
Communications goals. The communications goals should be derived from the program goals. If a state is pursuing a cost target to promote health care affordability, for example, a communications goal might include sharing evidence demonstrating that health care costs are currently rising at an unsustainable rate, making health care less affordable for individuals, employers, and the state. Another goal might be promoting an understanding of the steps involved in the target-setting and implementation process to generate buy-in for this approach among stakeholders.
Target Audiences. Key audience groups will include individuals, including state officials and members of stakeholder groups who are directly involved in the cost growth work; the broader group of stakeholders, e.g., insurers, health providers, employers, and patient advocates; and the public at large.
Key messages. At every opportunity, communications about the program should emphasize the capacity of the initiative to address core health care cost challenges. Messages may include:
Key statistics that support these messages are included in the Milbank Memorial Fund slide show about the Peterson-Milbank Program for Sustainable Health Care Costs. The cost growth target initiative can also be presented as part of a portfolio of state reforms and initiatives designed to improve health care affordability.
The key messages must be framed in a way that will resonate with a broad audience. Best practices to ensure that your messages are successfully received include:
Tactics and Timeline of Activities. The communications products below are examples of tactics for message dissemination. A communications plan should include a release schedule for a one-year period that can be revisited every three months. These public-facing products should ideally live on a state website or landing page dedicated to the growth target initiative.
This toolkit includes communication resources to fit specific state and contextual needs. The toolkit includes examples and some templates for:
The initial announcement or press release about a state’s health care cost growth target initiative is an important step that will help foster buy-in and build trust from the outset with key stakeholders and the public at large.
A press release may also be considered when announcing a) the creation of cost growth stakeholder committees or boards, b) the cost growth target value, c) the initiation of implementation, or d) the release of baseline data or the first year of performance data, e) the release of cost trends analysis, or f) the launch of accountability measures.
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) release announcing its cost growth target program cites the law that created the initiative, gives rationale for the project, describes the problem the cost targets are designed to address, shares the intended benefits for systems and consumers, and outlines the goals and process. The OHA is also a partner in a standalone website about the Oregon Value-based Payment Compact, which is part of Oregon’s legislatively mandated cost containment initiative.
Delaware’s announcement of its baseline spending analysis is framed in a letter from the then-Delaware Health and Social Services Secretary Kara Odom Walker.
States can build credibility and reach multiple stakeholders by conducting outreach through local press or national media. These examples illustrate the type of local coverage that could be anticipated:
An op-ed or blog post can allow a state’s leadership or a member of a stakeholder group to make a case for why health care cost growth targets are a good way to begin to address rising health care costs. An op-ed or blog, ideally around 700 words, should be clear and jargon-free, make its point quickly, include compelling supporting examples and data, and end powerfully.
In the Milbank blog COVID-19’s Impact and Implications for Health Care Cost Growth Target Programs, Megan Burns and Michael Bailit of Bailit Health argue that the COVD-19 pandemic strengthens the case for cost growth targets.
In another Milbank blog post, Victoria Veltri, executive director of the State of Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, outlines what factors contributed to Connecticut’s Governor Ned Lamont’s decision to issue an executive order calling for the development of a health care cost growth target.
The Milbank blog announcing the five states participating in the Peterson-Milbank Program for Sustainable Health Care Costs uses accessible language and data to explain why these states are pursuing cost growth targets as a systemic cost containment strategy.
Milbank Memorial Fund President Christopher F. Koller’s blog post, States Start to Move Away from Health Care Cost Shifting, explains how cost growth targets represent a transition away from health care cost shifting led by consolidating health systems toward a focus on the underlying causes of rising health care costs.
An infographic, fact sheet, or video can be a powerful visual way to explain a state’s initiative succinctly with both data and messaging that can illustrate the growth target’s value. These explainers can quickly:
The website of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC), the state agency that develops policy to reduce health care cost growth and improve the quality of patient care, offers a wealth of interactive graphics, including those featured in its HPC Data Points series of online briefs.
The New Jersey Health Care Affordability, Responsibility, and Transparency (HART) Program Blueprint details the program goal and targets, as well as accompanying data collection, transparent reporting, and resulting strategies will help drive more affordable, quality care for families and businesses.
The Oregon Health Authority also offers a Frequently Asked Questions document that explains, at a high level what cost growth targets are, how the data collection and analysis process works, and how they can be leveraged to improve the affordability of health care. Similarly, New Jersey offers a general FAQ and one for health providers.
An example of effective communication to gain buy-in from the lay public that’s not specifically about health care cost growth targets is the Minnesota Department of Health Economics video, The Health Care Spending Dilemma.
This PPT template using Connecticut data, which can be customized and saved as a series of images (one slide at a time) or an animated gif, can serve as a starting point for a state-specific infographic.
When presenting more detailed information in a stakeholder meeting, slide decks, are a reliable format.
This Oregon Health Authority slide deck offers a compelling presentation to somewhat knowledgeable stakeholders who have an interest in the cost growth targets. It provides a good overview and includes a strong rationalization for the project, as well as the goals, process, and a timeline. New Jersey also makes it informational webinar presentation slides for different stakeholders available.
Likewise, this Milbank Memorial Fund slide show outlines the goals of the Peterson-Milbank Program for Sustainable Health Care Costs for a policy audience by making a case for targets with data and providing an overview of the process.
Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy (OHS) hosted a virtual public forum to share information and stakeholder perspectives on the state’s health care cost growth target. This event is one in a series of grassroots meetings that OHS is conducting to explain the initiative and get feedback. You can download the slides or watch a recording on YouTube.
In 2022, Rhode Island state officials presented an update on the Health Spending and Accountability Program to the legislature to help ensure the program’s sustainability.
Social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, can allow for consistent communication with audiences across multiple platforms. These brief messages should almost always link to more detailed information.
The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission Twitter handle posts state health care cost information and data using compelling in-line graphics. This tweet shows the average amount of money a family with employer coverage spends per month on health care, while this tweet features takeaways from a March 25, 2021, benchmark hearing.
