In a business that's not always noted for clear, concise communication, some insurance companies have shown they have what it takes to break through the jargon barrier.
Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Health Care Service Corp., and UnitedHealthcare were all winners in the Center for Plain Language's 2014 ClearMark awards that “recognize the best plain language communication for consumers by government, private companies and nonprofits.”
UnitedHealthcare won in the original document category for a private company for its “Happiness Counts” kit, a brochure full of suggestions to boost your mood (and health).
Health Care Service Corp. took a top prize for a revised document in the not-for-profit sector, with a claims letter that improved on an earlier one the judges described as having “tiny computer-generated type that says, 'no human hands have touched this.' ” The new version makes “the recipient feel like there are human beings on the other end who really care about his needs.” Aetna also won for a revised document, in the private companies category, for its Medicare Advantage enrollment kit that was rebuilt around four basic questions.
