Hollywood Reporter: A group of Hollywood artists, actors, musicians, writers and producers met with President Barack Obama and top White House staff Monday to help inform young people about the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
Jennifer Hudson, Kal Penn, Amy Poehler, Funny or Die’s Mike Farah, YouTube Comedy’s Daniel Kellison, Royal Pains creator Andrew Lenchewski, and singer Jason Derulo attended the meeting, according to administration officials. Also in attendance were representatives for Oprah Winfrey, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, NARAS, and The Latin Recording Academy.Entertainment Advisory Council chairs Eric Ortner, singer-songwriter-producer Bruce Roberts and Penn, helped organize the gathering with senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, communications deputy David Simas and others.
Recent polling shows that the American people are largely in the dark about the benefits of the Affordable Health Care Act, which is why—with just 71 days until the sweeping program’s official rollout—the president and and his team are working with supporters in the entertainment industry to reach key demographics.
Though the discussions with the artists and executives were conducted mainly by ranking White House staff members, Obama dropped into the meeting for a part of the discussion. The president stressed his feeling that efforts by the artists gathered Monday will be particularly helpful because uninsured Americans between the ages of 18 and 35 are key enrollment targets for the new health insurance marketplaces created under the reforms. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that in 2014 about 7 million new enrollees will sign up for the marketplaces. About 2.7 million–or close to 40 percent—will young people.
Several of the artists and executives who attended Monday’s meeting already are actively promoting the reform’s benefits. Funny or Die and YouTube, for example, are teaming up on production for several web videos featuring well-known comedic celebrities and actors. Derulo, who fractured a vertebra in his neck while doing acrobatics during rehearsals for his 2011 world tour, told the group gathered in the Roosevelt Room that his life was saved because of his health coverage.
Ortner said the personal stories of Derulo and other celebrities will be a key component in the outreach campaign. “We’re thrilled to work with the president and his staff to build a new marketing effort using the tools that Hollywood knows how to use best — reaching young people through social media, interesting content and authentic personal stories,” he said.
Other industry people at the meeting were Ortner’s father, Chuck, an entertainment lawyer; Obama administration veteran Nicole Avant; WME partner Charles King; and Red Light Management COO Bruce Eskowitz.
I doubt any of these celebrities and their reps have even bothered reading the bill. Course they are rich enough to buy their own coverage. Who better to tell us peons how to sign up for our government-sponsored healthcare that they’ll never have to touch.
DCG