Lessons from a broad-based ACA outreach effort: Promises and pitfalls

The Marketplace Coverage Initiative (MCI) sought to expand awareness and ACA Marketplace enrollment in the greater Kansas City Area. The MCI was evaluated through interviews, surveys, and focus groups. Two main findings are particularly relevant for future Marketplace enrollment eff orts. First, the link between contacting someone and actual enrollment is tenuous as follow-up is challenging. Outreach eff orts that only track contacts, such as appointments and email addresses, lack information needed to assess enrollment. Linking outreach activities to enrollment outcomes leads us to a dramatically diff erent conclusion about using big data and campaign-style tactics than evaluations of similar techniques such as that pioneered by Enroll America in 11 states. Second, there is a large chasm between the knowledge levels of the uninsured and the decisions they face on the Marketplace. Based on these findings, outreach eff orts were redesigned for the 2014 open enrollment period to focus on smaller, community-driven projects.