#530 not so happy trails

I received a large envelope in the mail today containing information about enrolling my mom in a new retiree healthcare plan.  All of the State of Illinois retirees must choose a new plan to continue their coverage past the new year, so for weeks I have been receiving postcards telling me that it is coming.  Today was the lucky day.

Enclosed was a 16-page booklet that attempted to explain my options, a letter, an 8-page form that I must fill out and return (in my own envelope) and 8 pages of locations where I can attend a seminar to try and make sense out of this decision.  I think I am relatively intelligent, and to me it looked like alphabet soup.  If my mom were to see this, she would say that you "couldn't make head nor tails" out of what it says.  

I am sure that a lot of effort went into designing the packet.  It even comes with a special logo and (yet another) acronym:  Total Retiree Advantage IL or TRAIL -- my TRAIL to better health.  I am warned to watch only for mailings with the friendly TRAIL logo to avoid being confused by companies who are "not affiliated with the official MA-PD plan available to me through the CIP".  If they write their brochure without jargon, I think they have a chance to corner the market anyway!

No doubt that the people who wrote this did so with the best of intentions and in a way that they thought would be clear to those receiving it.  But I suspect that the authors were IN the business and understood what all the acronyms meant.  The next time you need to communicate complicated information, ask someone who is NOT familiar with your industry to read your piece.  See if they can give you pointers on what could use clarification from the point of view of those receiving it vs. producing it.

EOB* anyone?   (Explanation of Benefits -- one of the new things that will come with each of my statements.  I can't wait!)

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com