How Planned Parenthood connected 949 people to health coverage by text
In the final weeks of open enrollment, many eligible people were still uninsured. Planned Parenthood put a text keyword on radio and online, in English and Spanish, and turned a ZIP code into the address of the nearest enrollment event, or a call from someone who could help.
01The challenge
The challenge: reaching uninsured people before the open enrollment deadline
Eligible, uninsured, and running out of time.
As the leading women's health care provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood ran a campaign to explain the benefits of the Affordable Care Act and guide people through enrolling, alongside door-to-door canvassing and large enrollment events.
Many people enrolled, but in the final weeks of the enrollment period a large number of eligible, uninsured people still had not signed up. Text messages are used and answered more than any other channel among young adults, Hispanic communities, and lower-income families, so text was the way to reach them in time.
People who texted their ZIP code to begin enrolling with a certified application counselor.
02How it worked
How it worked: a bilingual SMS keyword and ZIP code lookup
One ZIP code, one reply, a person on the phone if needed.
Anyone could text their ZIP code to a short code and get back the address of the nearest enrollment event. They then replied CAN if they could make it, or CANT if they could not.
Anyone who replied CANT was connected by phone to a Planned Parenthood representative, who talked them through the best way to enroll. The keyword ran on radio and online in English and Spanish, so people without internet access heard about the deadline too.
- 1Text a ZIP codePromoted on radio and online, in English and Spanish
- 2Get the nearest eventThe reply gives the address of the closest enrollment event
- 3Reply CAN or CANTOne word says whether they can get there
- 4CANT gets a callA representative phones to find another way to enroll
The program as Planned Parenthood and Mobile Commons designed it.
03Who it reached
Who it reached: 48% Spanish speakers
Nearly half of the people who texted in spoke Spanish.
Running the keyword in Spanish as well as English, on radio as well as online, reached the communities the campaign most needed. 48% of the people who texted in were Spanish speakers.
Share of the 949 people who texted in.
04The result
The result: from text message to enrollment counselor
From a text message to an enrollment counselor.
18% of the people who texted in were connected straight away to the nearest in-person site with enrollment help. Everyone who replied CANT got a phone call to find another way. In the end, 28% of the people who texted in began the enrollment process.
The immediacy of text let Planned Parenthood reach an important community in a short time, with real-time support all the way through.
Shares of the 949 people who texted in, as reported by Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood results at a glance
The Affordable Care Act created open enrollment periods for health coverage through the marketplace, with certified application counselors to help people sign up. Text messaging reaches young adults, Hispanic communities, and lower-income families more reliably than email.
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| People who texted in | 949 |
| Spanish speakers among them | 48% |
| Connected straight to an in-person site | 18% |
| Began enrolling | 28% |
How to run a program like Planned Parenthood’s
- Pick one simple keywordAsk people to text their ZIP code to a short code, promoted on radio and online.
- Answer with a locationReply automatically with the nearest event, in the language they used.
- Branch on one wordAsk them to reply CAN or CANT, so the next step fits their situation.
- Hand off to a personCall anyone who replies CANT and help them find another way to enroll.
- Keep consent cleanConfirm the opt-in and include STOP instructions in the first reply.
The healthcare and public sector program on mCommons covers every step, with SMS, MMS, RCS, and WhatsApp on one platform.
Mobile Commons provided an invaluable service to us during the months before the enrollment deadline. Their product allowed us to reach communities in an efficient, easy, and effective manner. We also loved the professional and courteous service their team provided.
What they use
What Planned Parenthood ran on mCommons.
SMS, MMS, RCS, and WhatsApp on one platform, with mobile strategists who help plan, write, and run each campaign alongside your team.
- Short code keyword
- ZIP code lookup reply
- Keyword replies that branch the conversation
- Hand-off to a phone call
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