Boomer Women May Hold Key to Healthcare Reform According to VibrantNation.com Research

LOUISVILLE, Ky.-(Business Wire)-September 16, 2009 - Eighty-four percent of baby boomer women say they are either “somewhat comfortable” or “very comfortable” with their understanding the issues surrounding healthcare reform. This insight is one of the many garnered from a new survey on healthcare reform conducted by VibrantNation.com, the leading website for smart, successful women over 50.

“Boomer women may hold the key to healthcare reform,” said Stephen Reily, Vibrant Nation Founder and CEO. “While pundits debate whether the President should pass healthcare reform by majority rule or only through a bipartisan plan, there may be a third option. This influential and fast-growing demographic, who we’ve termed ‘Vibrant Women,’ offer a double benefit to this campaign: as their families’ chief healthcare officer and advocate, they understand the issues; and they also are willing to put that knowledge and experience to use in influencing others.”

The survey was presented to VibrantNation.com’s more than 50,000 members, e-newsletter subscribers, Facebook fans and Twitter followers. The participants were well-educated women ages 48 – 68 who currently have health insurance.

In addition to being highly informed on healthcare issues, these Vibrant Women also are more than willing to take action:

76% are willing to write an email to their elected officials, and
83% are willing to talk to their friends and family about the subject.

According to VibrantNation.com Senior Strategist Carol Orsborn, “The Vibrant Woman is the ultimate healthcare consumer. She manages her own healthcare, and is also taking a primary role in healthcare decision-making for a spouse or partner. Beyond that, she is overseeing, or did oversee, healthcare for a parent or parents, is familiar with the ins and outs of Medicare, and may be paying healthcare-related expenses for her parents. She also has managed the healthcare for her children, now adults (as our own research indicates), and there is a good chance that she continues to pay healthcare-related expenses for those adult children and often her grandchildren.”

So what do these Vibrant Women want to see in healthcare reform? More than 80% agreed on three key issues:

97% believe coverage for pre-existing conditions should be guaranteed,
87% believe employees should be able to change jobs and keep the same insurer, and
84% believe laws should prohibit insurance companies from cancelling policies for anyone who develops a given illness.

In addition, a majority also support the following positions:

54% support a tax increase on those in the highest tax bracket to pay for health coverage,
53% support a “public option” – a national healthcare plan paid for with tax dollars, and
50% support the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover anyone up to age 27.

“We believe this survey offers important insights for the White House and U.S. Congress,” added Mr. Reily. “First, they should not try to force this legislation through without utilizing the passion and connections of Vibrant Women who are activated and will do whatever they can to make healthcare reform pass. Second, the White House should move forward confidently in the knowledge that nearly all of these uniquely influential and engaged women embrace a common legislative agenda with more than half of them support raising taxes to pay for a public option.”

“As we see from both the survey and the active online conversations on VibrantNation.com, these women understand the issues, support President Obama’s proposal, and are willing to influence their friends, family member and elected officials,” said Dr. Orsborn. “As a Vibrant Woman myself, I believe the White House will achieve a better solution, faster, if it engages Vibrant Women who really care about this issue.”

For more information and to join the conversation with other Vibrant Women, please visit http://www.vibrantnation.com.

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