TOOL Communicating the Value Proposition for High-Deductible Plans

Employers and their agents, such as insurance brokers, should keep educational efforts simple and multifaceted, and should assume the long view, health benefits experts say. Among their suggestions:

Watch your language: When explaining these plans, be specific and provide examples. Don’t slip into acronyms or consultant-speak. Remember that just 53 percent of Americans are sufficiently literate to follow directions on a prescription medication label, according to a federal survey. One-third of those surveyed couldn’t even achieve that.

Think multimedia: Use social media tools, such as text messages and tweets, to alert employees about enrollment meetings and wellness fairs. But don’t jettison old-fashioned paper, including brochures and reminder cards that can be mailed home to interested spouses.

Gauge understanding: By tapping focus groups and online forums, get insights into what employees understand and when misunderstandings and frustrations are festering.

Don’t stop: Ideally, education should extend beyond the enrollment period and be combined with wellness programs and other efforts to limit health costs for everyone involved.