Facilitator's Guide - PBS

ACTIVITIES
Activity One – Health Insurance Options
Materials Needed: none
The facilitator should begin this activity by asking the following questions:
a What was one of the most important reasons Rochelle liked her new job as an electrician?
b How many of you have health insurance?
c If you do not have employer provided health insurance or have too much money to be on Medicaid but not enough money to buy your
own health insurance, what is likely to happen to you if you have a medical problem?
!
Facilitator Tip: Before introducing this role play, you might want to visit some government websites (such as www.cms.hhs.gov) and take
notes on programs such as “Child Health Plus”and Medicaid. This information can be shared with participants before they begin the activity as
background information.
The facilitator should ask for two volunteers to play the following roles:
a. hospital billing office representative
b. uninsured patient who has recovered from emergency surgery
Before they “act” in front of the group, prepare the volunteers by describing this scenario: “Here is
a bill for $12,000 that the hospital wants paid. The hospital representative suggests what the
patient can do to come up with the money, and work out a repayment plan over time. The
recovered patient has no health insurance and so is frantic about how to pay.” Their “act”is
to discuss the issue in a calm, businesslike manner.
Some suggested role play questions or comments for the “actors”:
Uninsured Patient
• I don’t have insurance, I have no way to pay and I don’t know what to do.
• No one in my family can help, money is very tight.
• Is there a financial counselor I can talk with?
• Do you have any discounts or payment plans?
“20 million people,
aged 18 to 34,
still don’t have
health insurance and
it’s a huge problem.”
---- Beth Kobliner
Hospital Representative
• Tell me about your household income.
• We do have some financial assistance programs.
• Let’s see if you are eligible for any programs such as Medicaid, Child Health Plus or Family Health Plus.
• If you or your family have any language barriers, we can send someone out to help you complete the program health forms.
After they discuss the problem of the bill, allow the participants acting as the audience to suggest how this problem could have been avoided and how it
might be solved.
The facilitator should conclude this activity with the following questions:
a In the story segment, “Get Insured,” financial expert Beth Kobliner said: “… it’s amazing to me, with all of the talk in our country about
health insurance, 20 million people, aged 18 to 34, still don’t have it.”Why is that a problem?
b If you have health insurance but lose it, what options do you have?
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