Public Affairs: Evolution Benefits

Weiss PR created a public affairs campaign that included advertising, social media, and traditional media outreach to help its client, Evolution Benefits – a prepaid health benefits card company based in Avon, Connecticut – to fight against proposed federal legislation to impose caps on contributions to Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).

The Problem

In summer 2009, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee attempted to limit annual Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions as part of its healthcare reform legislation (America’s Healthy Future Act). Leading companies in the healthcare space, including Evolution Benefits, felt that imposing caps on FSA contributions represented a direct threat to their businesses that ultimately would result in the entire program being forced to shut down within the next decade.

Our Solution/Results

At a time when numerous business interests were clamoring to be heard by legislators considering the healthcare reform proposals, Evolution Benefits recognized that it could have a stronger voice in Washington if it joined forces with the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), a DC-based industry trade group.

Working with Weiss PR, Evolution Benefits and ECFC decided to launch an educational campaign designed to raise awareness of the provisions impacting FSAs being proposed by the Senate Finance Committee. Targeting fellow members of the healthcare industry, as well as other members of Congress, the campaign aimed to put pressure on the Senate Finance Committee to reconsider their stance with respect to FSAs.

While Evolution Benefits and ECFC lobbied heavily against the proposed legislation and jointly sponsored FSA-supporting legislation with Congressman John Larson (D-Connecticut), Weiss PR pushed the issue and raised awareness within the healthcare and employee benefits industry by securing national media coverage in both mainstream outlets and industry trade press. Weiss PR also used social media platforms, including LinkedIn and Twitter, to raise awareness and keep the issue top-of-mind. The firm also created and placed full-page ads in the Capitol Hill publications before several key votes.

“Our key objective with selecting Weiss PR was to gain more media attention for our product and services through interviews and article placements. They have succeeded for us by learning our business and diligently pitching us to the media. They are very responsive to our requests and also do a great job writing articles. I would recommend them highly!”

Anne Carpenter, VP Marketing & Sales Support, Evolution Benefits
Avon, Connecticut

The result? Since the healthcare plan was passed, the consensus among industry experts is that consumer-directed health plans – including FSAs and the use of benefits cards – will continue to grow as employers increasingly shift healthcare dollars to their employees.

For more information on Evolution Benefits, please visit their website at www.evolutionbenefits.com.