Sunday, September 29, 2013

Affordable Healthcare Is Here! An Innovation/ Change Lesson


There are politically contentious, argumentative discussions and concerns about the Affordable Care Act from those who are finding change difficult. No matter what camp you are in, this change has great lessons for helping all change for innovations happen. Like any change with innovation there are people who will oppose or do not want change because it’s not the way we have done things in the past. Change can be scary. With change there are new parameters to live and think. But that is not a reason to resist change. Fear of doing nothing to solve the world’s problems should be the scariest of all. Humans are hardwired to find consistency and repetition as a sense of comfort. I remember when my children were small and in school, systematic timing and procedures helped them feel secure and more teachable. So the question is how do we teach change? Communication is key.

Could we just imagine if before my children left for school I would have told my children, "school is very scary", "the teacher is going to play tricks on you", or "the other kids are going to laugh at you." The chances my children would want to go to school would be very slim. We are seeing this take play in the USA with the Affordable Care Act. Communication takes place in many arenas. Depending on the innovation you are trying to implement and to whom it effects depends on the venues you will use to help change happen.

Depending on which state you reside in the USA, it will depend on the communication you have received on the Affordable Care Act. If your in a state like Wisconsin with majority political leaders that want to see the Affordable Care Act fail, you will hear the scary stories and have people resort to the Federal website to get your information. See the Federal website at: Federal Affordable Healthcare Act Website.

Other states that have bought into the change have accelerated the communication process. Because of the state involvement, the USA Today newspaper reported that people could purchase health care insurance for less than $100 a month in their panels.USA Today - $100 a month?!  New York Reports 50% Decrease! Minnesotas own Health Care Website In Wisconsin the people in charge are saying prices are going to rise. WI Insurance Commissioner Faq Sheet The communication makes a huge difference when exciting change and promoting innovation. Simple WEB MED Video Explanation.