Meeting this Moment: Preparing to Seize a New Opportunity for Health Care Reform

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and economic security of every person in our nation, providing us with a new understanding of health. Among many important lessons, COVID-19 has made clear once and for all that our nation’s collective future is secure only when everyone in America has the opportunity for good health and is able to get the health care they need when they need it.

Recognizing that 2021 may be the most important moment for health care reform in 50 years, Families USA, in partnership with Dr. Drew Westen, a national authority on message development, has undertaken an important project this fall to understand the ways that COVID-19 may be changing America’s perspective on health and health care and to develop powerful message narratives that support bold health care policy change.

The purpose of this work is to create shared narratives about what the American people want from policymakers when it comes to our health and health care. The narratives and messages being tested center on health care value and quality, health inequities, and universal access to high-quality affordable health insurance. The narratives that are under development are designed to appeal to the largest possible segment of the American population including both conservatives and progressives.

Initial Findings:

The final results from our message testing will be available later this fall. Attached here are some key findings that may be helpful to partners and policymakers in their work to advance the best health and health care for all.