Beyond the well crafted TV commercials and print ads for Covered California are numerous volunteers that are “walking and talking” with total strangers to spread the news about the new Affordable Care Act health plans. People committed and passionate about health care reform from the Sacramento Mighty Oaks ACA Team are spending countless hours answering questions and handing out literature at libraries, community centers, neighborhoods and small businesses.
Volunteers fan out in West Sacramento
John Freeman, who has gone through the Covered California Certified Educator program and is becoming a Certified Enrollment
Counselor, has stationed himself at the West Sacramento Community Center Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. He is also speaking at libraries and attending community fairs to educate people about Covered California. While John admits it can get slow sometimes, just talking to a couple people is meaningful for him.
She is on a mission
Roseanne Killian is just on fire for the new health plans. As a social worker who was employed by several area hospitals during her career she knows how vital health insurance can be to a family. Such is her commitment to making Covered California a success she has been “cold calling” small businesses and handing out literature. She has what is known in the sales industry as a “fire in the belly”. Her goal is not make sales, but to educate as many people as she can.
Multi-cultural hub of West Sacramento
In just a short period of time Roxanne and I visited over a dozen small businesses located in two strip malls in West Sacramento. This area is the quintessential melting pot of California. We talked to employees and small business owners from all over the world. In addition to English we encountered the languages of Hindi, Hmong, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Fortunately, most of these languages are supported by literature and interpreters from Covered California. A sampling of businesses we called on included a safe company, dentist, adult day care, nail salon, CPA, hair salon and assorted small retail stores.
No one wants to admit they are vulnerable
Roxanne get passionate about how Covered California can help people get affordable health insurance.
It was interesting that after we first introduced ourselves at the business almost everyone said they had health insurance. But after quickly giving the details about the health plans and premium assistance we would learn that many of these folks really didn’t have health insurance. A hush fell over the nail salon we visited as the both patrons and employees listened to Roxanne talk about how Covered California could help everyone get affordable health insurance. We even ran a few monthly rate illustrations on the iPad for people excited about finally having access to health insurance after loosing it through work.
People aren’t making the connection with Covered California
The short time I spent with John and Roxanne illustrated the tremendous thirst for
An employee at a small grocery store reads though the Spanish language Covered California material.
information about the new health plans. Most people we talked to just don’t understand what Covered California is all about. To them the commercials are akin to the “got milk” or “real California cheese” advertising campaigns. They aren’t making the connection that Covered California is offering them something to participate in. So much for slick branding campaigns.
Volunteer teams at Sacramento Mighty Oaks
Sacramento Mighty Oaks works closely with the UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities that received a grant for outreach and education from Covered California. Roxanne and I would have walked more business but we had run out of literature which seems to be at a premium right now. The Sacramento Mighty Oaks ACA Team is loosely broken into different group focusing on outreach and education at libraries, small businesses, churches, colleges and West Sacramento.
That “I get It” moment
Roxanne discuss health plans with a dental hygienist.
It was evident the satisfaction that both John and Roxanne got from volunteering their time to educate people about the Affordable Care Act. Once the person’s face goes from that odd puzzled look to the expression of “I get it” as you are explaining Covered California it’s as if you just gave them the wallet they lost yesterday. It’s a pretty cool feeling. Come out and experience it with the volunteers sometime. It will make your day.
