Audiovisual, Communication Skills, Excellence Winner
Intel’s High Deductible Health Plan in Plain English
Michelle James, Keith Pearce, Lee LeFever, Sachi LeFever
Intel Corporation and Common Craft, LLC
Rio Rancho, NM and Seattle, WA
Contents:
Need/Opportunity
For several years, Intel U.S. employees have benefited from lower-than-average increases in healthcare costs. Intel's ability to contain healthcare cost was partly due to the implementation of an optional High Deductible Health Plan, in which employees spend on average 35% less than employees enrolled in the traditional plans offered by Intel. For 2010, 28% (12,439) of U.S. employees were enrolled in the High Deductible plan.
However, for 2010 Intel's costs had risen 10% of the previous year, as health care costs accelerated and a large portion of employees were enrolled in a more expensive health care plan.
The Opportunity
Convincing at least 5% of employees to voluntarily shift to the High Deductible Health Plan during the upcoming Annual Enrollment would enable Intel to significantly reduce projected healthcare cost increases by $3.3 million.
The Key Message
See if the High Deductible plan can save you money. Most employees can reduce or eliminate the impact of the 2011 health plan cost increases by switching to the High Deductible Health Plan without having to change doctors or give up any medical coverage.
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Intended Audience(S)
Annual Enrollment communications are targeted to reach a U.S. based population of 44,000 employees and their spouses/domestic partners. These employees are, on average, in their early 40s, male, married, with 10 years of service.
The U.S. employee workforce is a broad and diverse group including all employee levels from manufactueing to office workers. Employees are spread across the U.S., with 25 Intel locations that range in size from 20 to 15,000 employees. A portion of the population also includes remote employees who are not located at the Intel site.
It would be critical for us to understand the factors motivating the population we needed to convince to voluntarily switch to the High Deductible Health Plan.
Traditional Copayment Members
The most significant financial benefit to both Intel and employees would come from having employees enrolled in the most expensive health plan- the Traditional Copayment Plan- switch to the High Deductible Health Plan. Approximetly 12% (27,000) of employees are enrolled in this plan, which has been offered for over 15 years.
Employees on average have been enrolled in this plan for 10 years, suggesting that it's the only plan most of the employees have been enrolled in since they joined Intel. Data indicate that this group is comfortable with their choice and are most likely not seeking another plan that might better fit their needs and/or reduce their costs. Data also showed that employees related the cost of the plan tot he level of coverage- believing that the more expensive the plan, the better the coverage.
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Goals and Objectives
The goal was to develop communication that would convince employees to voluntarily chose the High Deductible Health Plan. In order to meet that goal, Intel established some qualitiative objectives:
Objectives:
- Employees understand how the plan works (demonstrated by 85% or higher to an Annual Enrollment satisfaction survey question).
- Convince at least 5% of the Traditional Copayment Plan members to switch to the High Deductible Health Plan, with a stretch goal of 10%.
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Solution Overview
Simplifying the complexity of the plan and convincing employees of the benefits of the High Deductible Health Plan would be essential.
Employees needed to understand that the plan is easier than they think, that it would reduce their total healthcare costs, and that they would receive the same level of comprehensive coverage. As the communication lead for the project responsible for making sure we meet the needs of our stakeholders, I felt that rather than just tell employees, a video could help show them. In addition, a video could be used in multiple channels to reach our broad-based employees.
I engaged an external agency experienced in creating simplified but compelling videos to help produce the video. The agency, Common Craft, recommended straightforward, clear language that avoided becoming mired in detail.
It was something of a paradox: Intel , a data-driven company, prides itself on details. But sometimes you have to convince your stakeholders to step out of their comfort zone to achieve the desired results.
The result? A simple three minute video that:
- Engaged the viewer with a first-person format that explained in simple, clear language how the plan worked.
- Provided comparison of how it differed from the traditional plan and what employees could expect.
- Sent an important message that working together, employees and Intel can help the costs of helathcare more manageable.
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Implementation and Challenges
There were several key challenges. As the Intel communication lead, I faced big barriers in getting stakeholders to agree on simplified key messages, as well as to gain HR's legal approval of the video's higher-level, less-detailed script.
Then there was the production schedule. We had a shortened timeline to develop communications due to extra time taken to evaluate how to contain future health care costs. How would we get through the review process and have the video produced and published in time for the start of the Annual Enrollment period?
Work to develop the solutions and gain stakeholder support and legal approval began in late August. We got HR Legal informed from the get go in the script development and story board.
By September 1, we developed the first draft of the script and received Common Craft's recommendations. By the end of September the story board was final, with both stakeholder and HR Legal approval. Common Craft began production of the video on October 1 and we met the deadline.
We came in under budget by engaging stakeholders and HR Legal early in the process, which reduced the amount of edits needed in the actual video production.
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Measurement/Evaluation
Employee understanding. 89% (goal of 85%) of employees answered satisfied or very satisfied to the following statement: 'Annual Enrollment communications help me have a better understanding of the High Deductible Plan.'
High Deductible Health Plan enrollment. 8% (goal of 5%, stretch goal of 10%) of employees enrolled in a Traditional Copayment Plan switched to High Deductible Plan for 2011.
Employee feedback. Dozens of positive employee reviews came pouring in. A sampling:
'I was lost when it comes to understanding this plan. Thanks for putting it in simple terms.'
'Very useful video!! This is the first time I have been able to understand how the plan works. Loks like it will save me some money!'
'Nice video explaining HDHP, can we have similiar videos for other beneifts such as retirement plans? :)'
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