
Dear Colleagues,
Autumn has officially arrived, and our Communications team has been busy prepping important health insurance content for consumers as open enrollment starts November 1. From topics such as understanding your deductible to educating yourself about your health plan, alerting consumers about health insurance has been our priority for the month. If you have questions about the content or how you can modify it for your state, please let us know!
Register Now for Fall National Meeting
Registration for our Fall 2020 National Meeting is underway. The meeting, which was initially scheduled to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, will be held in a virtual format December 3 – 9, 2020.
The agenda has been posted to NAIC.org. We look forward to your participation!
Two New Media Tool Kits for Use
Social media has become a very important part of our lives. With many of us still working from home, virtual meetings and shifting through all the different social media platforms have become the norm. Knowing how to reach our consumers effectively via digital platforms is essential.
Our Social Media Influencer media tool kit is just one of the newest tool kits the NAIC has provided for your use. In it, you will find tools to help you boost your department’s social media presence, build your social media followers and better engage with your audience. .
Our Health Care State media tool kit includes several press releases and consumer education pieces you can use, tailor, and personalize to share with your audiences.
As you review the tool kits, please reach out to us if you have any questions, or be sure to share them on our upcoming PIO Monthly Call.
A Few Reminders
NAIC Accepting Applicants for 2021 Consumer Liaison Representatives
A reminder that the NAIC is currently accepting applications for its 2021 Consumer Liaison Program. If you know of anyone who would be a good fit for the program, please click here for more information. The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. Central Time on October 31, 2020.
Media Training
The NAIC is paying for 75-minute virtual coaching sessions with Mark Bernheimer of Media Works. These sessions are for deputies and key spokespeople who attended Mark’s session during the Insurance Summit on September 17. The virtual sessions will be held in October and November.
To sign up for these media training sessions, please contact Stefanie Bryant or Erica Chester.
NAIC Consumer Outreach
The following is a list of NAIC consumer materials that have been distributed and released since our last eNewsletter:
Understand Your Health Plan's Deductible
Protect Your Home From Wildfires: Take These Steps to Mitigate Your Risk
Understanding Earthquake Deductibles
Do You Know How to be a Life Insurance Beneficiary?
October PIO Monthly Call
The PIO Monthly Calls, held on the third Thursday of the month, will be hosted through WebEx. To connect to a compatible video device, click Use Video system and then click Join Meeting. If you're on the go, you can join our meeting from your phone (Apple or Android), tablet or Apple watch using the WebEx mobile app. You'll be able to use video, chat with other participants, and share content.
This month's call will be held October 15. Times are listed below. We will share the specific meeting link and details on how to connect via WebEx, before our call on Thursday.
If you have any state news or announcements you'd like to discuss, please email them to srbryant@naic.org.
ALL TIMES LOCAL unless indicated as Daylight saving time or Standard time:
3 p.m. ET, 2 p.m. CT, 1 p.m. MT, Noon PT and (Phoenix), 11 a.m. AKDT, 9 a.m. HST
Agenda
PIO Call/October 15, 2020
Welcome – Stefanie Bryant
Communications Update – Laura Kane
State News and Announcements
The Regulators Podcast
2020 has proven to be anything but normal. With a global pandemic, an increase in natural weather catastrophes and systemic racism at the forefront of demonstrations across the country, NAIC President and South Carolina Department of Insurance Director Ray Farmer had to adjust course and update his focus and priorities for the year. In this episode of The Regulators, the Director talks with NAIC CEO Mike Consedine on how he’s managing this new normal and discusses his updated priorities for the rest of the year.
Be sure and listen to the episode and share with your consumers!
PIO Monthly Spotlight
Our new PIO Spotlight Initiative allows us to highlight different state departments, Communications teams and the work you do! The spotlight not only puts faces along with the names of our Communication professionals, but it also provides us an opportunity to see what other departments are doing.
Please send a picture with you and your team and answers to the following questions below to our NAIC Marketing and Communications Strategist, Alana Laflore.
Name: Maine Bureau of Insurance
The Bureau is part of the Department of Professional & Financial Regulation, which is headed by the Department Commissioner and includes the following agencies:
- Bureau of Insurance (the Bureau Superintendent is the one with regulatory authority over insurance in Maine, vs. the Department Commissioner)
- Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection
- Bureau of Financial Institutions
- Office of Occupational & Professional Regulation
- Office of Securities
Biggest challenges
- Changing technology
- Not enough staff who are skilled or well-versed in new technology (this old dog keeps learning new tricks, but has a hard time covering all her duties)
Outreach Opportunities
- Rural public fairs
- Public senior expos
- Professional conferences
- Meetings, etc.
Upcoming Priorities
- Moving more outreach to social media, integrated with a user-friendly website.
Words of the Week
Listed below are the words for the coming weeks. Please feel free to use and distribute these on your social media channels using the hashtag #NAICWotW.
Oct. 14 - Maximum Out of Pocket
Oct. 21 - PPO
Oct. 28 - Health Saving Account
Nov. 4 - High-Deductible Plan
Word of the Week