Blog Page 91

NO ROOM FOR “NO COMMENT”

By
Jeffrey Gallagher
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No Room for No Comment

You have seen it on the news: a company is the focus of a media inquiry, and a reporter pushes his microphone toward the face of a company official. The response? “No comment.” It’s a statement sure to send a shiver down the spine of any public relations professional. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

No matter what communications situation or crisis you find yourself in, a “no comment” soundbite should not be a part of your plan. You can always say something instead of “no comment.”

A few examples could be:

*When dealing with litigation: “We have just learned of the lawsuit and are currently reviewing it. We take the issues in the lawsuit very seriously here at our company.”

*Accident/incident at workplace: “The incident is currently under investigation by local law enforcement, and we are cooperating with them in the process.”

*Bad review: “We are aware of the comments made regarding our facility. We are currently reviewing our operations as we strive to keep delivering quality service to our customers.”

While “no comment” may be the easy way out, providing a clear, concise statement will serve your organization better in the long run as you continue to provide information to the media and other impacted stakeholders.  Are you looking to refresh or review your company’s communications plan? Do you want tips on how to work with the media? Contact the Michael Best Strategies Public Affairs team to get the conversation started.

Michael Best Strategies Bolsters Business and Community Solutions Team with Addition of New Partnership

By
Michael Best Strategies
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Healthcare

Michael Best Strategies is pleased to announce it has partnered with Chase Braden to expand the firm’s service offerings. Braden joins Michael Best Strategies’ Business and Community Solutions team, which aims to help clients advance their long term strategic and financial goals, navigate challenges between business objectives and societal issues, and solidify operation models.

“Innovative healthcare companies continue to find a strong ROI in our practical approach to consulting,” said Rob Marchant, President of Michael Best Strategies. “That approach is driven by successful healthcare executives like Chase. We are thrilled to have him join the team.”

“Chase holds more than seven decades of industry experience that provides a unique addition to our healthcare consulting team,” added Kristine Seymour, leader of Michael Best Strategies’ Business and Community Solutions team. “The highly regulated healthcare industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and our clients look to us as trusted counselors in that regard. Partnering with Chase will certainly help us advance and deepen our partnerships with our current and prospective clients, and we look forward to leveraging his deep knowledge and background as we continue to steer clients through these uncharted waters.” 

As part of Michael Best Strategies’ Business and Community Solutions team, Braden will be responsible for identifying and developing new growth opportunities, as well as advising clients on successful growth strategies.

About the New Partner

Chase Braden served in various leadership roles in his 25+ years at Humana, lastly as director of clinical optimization  before becoming an independent consultant in January 2020. He now uses his clinical knowledge, and health plan experience to develop  engagement strategies to support  business partners, individuals, and families facing challenges to improve quality of life and expand access to care. Prior to Humana, Chase served as a Battalion Legal Specialist for the United States Army. He earned his M.B.A. from the University of Louisville and his B.A. from Kentucky State University.

 

Working with the Media

By
Jeffrey Gallagher
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Crisis Communication

In the social media-driven news cycle, and especially in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, your company may likely experience a situation or incident that will garner media attention.  Only designated spokespeople from your company should make statements to the media to ensure accuracy and consistent messaging.  While your internal communications team is gathering information about what happened, media inquiries may begin and until a formal statement is issued, a designated spokesperson should respond to media and press inquiries with a preliminary holding statement.  Here are some general do’s and don’ts that your company should follow in case of an emergency incident.  

REMEMBER THESE DO’S AND DON’TS:

*Do contact 911 and follow all emergency procedures.

*Do cooperate with all first responders

*Do gather facts about what happened

*Do communicate with your crisis communications team

*Do make sure your information is accurate

*Do condense your information—saying less is often better

*Don’t say “no comment”

*Don’t go “off the record”

*Don’t assume the microphone or camera is turned off

*Don’t speculate about causes, next steps, etc.

*Don’t post on personal social media 

*Don’t be pressured into giving speculative or additional information if not verified

Do you need help working with the media? Are you interested in media training for your team?  Contact the Michael Best Strategies Public Affairs team to get the conversation started.

The Decreasing Regulations and Increasing Demand of Telehealth Services

By
Mark Pappas
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Telehealth

On March 30th, by executive order, President Trump announced temporary changes to health care regulations to improve access to care. One technology that is playing a major role in this new landscape is telehealth. Telehealth, as defined by the Health Resources Services Administration, is the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration. This can include videoconferencing, internet, and wireless communication. Telehealth is broader than telemedicine, which is limited to strictly clinical services.

Prior to COVID-19, telehealth had limitations, particularly for the Medicare and Medicaid populations. Medicare would only reimburse a select few services. Medicare regulations also limited the types of health care professionals that could provide telehealth services and limited the geographic eligibility for those who received services to Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), rural counties outside the boundaries of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

The Trump Administration’s Executive Order has changed the regulations of telehealth in the following ways:

  • Expanding services eligible for reimbursement
  • Allowing providers to bill for telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person visits, including emergency department visits, intake and discharge visits to nursing facilities, and therapy services
  • Allowing remote patient monitoring for patients with only one disease
  • Allowing physicians to supervise clinical staff using virtual technologies

These changes give the most vulnerable patients access to healthcare without risking exposure to the virus, while increasing the available capacity of health care facilities to deal with potential influxes of COVID-19.

Beyond the Medicare and Medicaid populations, telehealth services are experiencing a surge in demand, especially providers of mental health services. More users are downloading mental health coaching apps, and current users are using them more frequently. One study suggests that 70% of new users of mental health apps joined to cope with COVID-19-related stress. This rapid growth in demand is putting pressure on these services, which are now rushing to increase staff and speed up timelines to launch and implement in response to the growing demand.

Telehealth services have become a critical technology in the new landscape of COVID-19. For now, telehealth is part of this new landscape. Time will tell if these services will continue to grow after the crisis fades.

Steps to Consider When Facing a Crisis

By
Jeffrey Gallagher
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Communications

No matter how much your company prepares, it is sometimes inevitable: A crisis lands on your doorstep. But you don’t have to be caught off-guard. With a well-thought out crisis communications action plan, your business can tackle the crisis head on. Below, you will find 10 steps to consider when this happens.

1.) Answer the question “Is this a crisis?”
Think about how extensive the situation is or if it will attract media attention.

2.) Gather your Crisis Communications Team.
Ascertain and identify key stakeholders while beginning to gather information.

3.) Centralize information flow.
Direct all key calls to crisis team members and draft internal and external statements.

4.) Control inbound/outbound information.
Discuss, draft and finalize initial statements for employees, media and impacted stakeholders.

5.) Deliver your message.
Communicate with those who need to hear from you.

6.) Conduct reconnaissance of traditional and social media.
Check for inaccuracies and correct/engage as appropriate.

7.) Continue communication as necessary with impacted stakeholders.
Gauge the tone of the coverage (including social media) while considering optics.

8.) Discuss press availability.
Discuss whether an on-camera interview is needed vs. written statements.

9.) Determine follow-up items.
Respond to additional media questions and determine if there are any other groups who need to be communicated with.

10.) Review and evaluate your response and performance
Talk about what went right and what could be changed.


Do you need help formulating a plan? Are you interested in training your c-suite executives in how to prepare? Contact the Michael Best Strategies Public Affairs team to get the conversation started.

Lost Gaming Revenue in Illinois

By
David Ramirez
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Illinois Gaming

The Chicago Cubs opened up 2020 with a 15 to 1 chance to win the World Series. The Chicago White Sox were at 16 to 1 odds. This means that for every dollar wagered, a bettor can win $15 or $16. In other words, the Chicago Cubs had a 6.25% probability of winning the World Series, and the Chicago White Sox held a 5.88% chance, respectively.

These are rather good odds, with remarkable upside if your favorite Chicago baseball team manages to push through the laborious MLB season. Unfortunately, many bettors in Illinois were not able to experience the excitement of making a World Series wager at the beginning of the MLB season due to the sports world coming to a sudden halt. Not only do excited bettors miss out on making a wager for their beloved Cubbies, but the State of Illinois will miss the potential revenue derived from sports wagering and the expansion of gaming (additional video gaming terminals and casinos).

The unprecedent impact of COVID-19 on the Illinois economy will be felt for years to come. Currently, Illinois is looking at an unemployment rate above 5%, and a projected revenue shortfall of $7.3 billion over the next two fiscal years.

At a time when Illinois was relying on increased revenues from gaming to help fund vertical capital projects, this pandemic could have not occurred at a worse time.

Below is an illustration of previous revenues brought in from traditional casino games, and video gaming (VGTs) during the months of March through June in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Looking at the Illinois Gaming Board figures above, it is safe to assume that the state would have seen more revenue generated from sports wagering and gaming expansion. Even without the injection of sports wagering and expanded gaming (more casinos and VGTs), Illinois would have obtained at least $335,500,000 in tax revenue if the trend line continued.

Illinois will be looking at a different type of gaming environment after the COVID-19 pandemic. Market disruption and uncertainty will play a significant role in kickstarting the gaming sector. Disposable income will not be as widely available as it once was, and the Illinois consumer will likely develop different habits and priorities.

There is an inexplicable amount of damage inflicted by COVID-19, and this should strengthen the State to reevaluate how to engage with the salient business interests that survive. That includes the gaming industry.

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Brad Cheney Joins Michael Best Strategies as a Senior Advisor

By
Michael Best Strategies
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Brad Cheney

Michael Best Strategies has partnered with Bradford (Brad) Cheney, a senior advisor at Majority Group, to expand the firm’s service offerings.

With nearly twenty years of experience in Washington, Cheney is known for representing clients – including before Members of Congress and the Executive Branch – on issues involving financial services, foreign affairs, housing, tax and real estate finance. While he will remain in his role at Majority Group, in his dual role as a senior advisor with Michael Best Strategies, Cheney will also help Michael Best Strategies with its growing financial services, capital markets, and real estate practice.

“Brad is a standout addition to the Michael Best Strategies team, especially amid a time of such need for our clients,” said Rob Marchant, President of Michael Best Strategies. “The depth of his public policy knowledge and experience in key industry sectors like financial services is second to none. As our clients look for solutions to the economic challenges facing their businesses, Brad’s expertise and relationships will be critically valuable.”

Prior to joining Majority Group, Cheney worked as a lobbyist at the Eris Group, which was acquired by the full-service law and lobbying firm, GrayRobinson, in 2019. He also served as senior democratic lobbyist and assistant vice president of legislative affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association for more than eight years, chief of staff to Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA), chairman of the Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee, senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign as deputy state director in Vermont and Virginia.

“Partnering with Michael Best Strategies will present new and exciting challenges for me,” said Cheney. “The firm is highly regarded in D.C. and well-known across the country for its government relations and public affairs work. I continue to be impressed with the counsel the teams provide to their clients and I’m looking forward to getting started.”

Cheney earned his M.A. in Political Management from George Washington University and his B.A., cum laude, in Political Science from American University.

Colorado Expands Ballot Access Amid Pandemic

By
Wes Skiles
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Voter Access

In a time when states’ ballot access policies have come under nationwide scrutiny, Colorado recently took action to further expand access for registered voters to election processes. Under new legislation, Colorado’s political parties have increased latitude in how they proceed with district and county assemblies leading up to the June Primary. While Colorado was an early adopter in 2013 of progressive approaches like vote-by-mail, where all Colorado registered voters are mailed a ballot as a voting option ahead of most state elections, the county assembly processes remained one of the sole and difficult to change exceptions to this process.

HB20-1359 was adopted by the Colorado General Assembly as a last priority prior to the state legislature adjourning for a COVID-related recess. The bill temporarily granted broader authority and flexibility to respective party leadership in governing assemblies, voting methods, candidate filings, and election disputes as well as delayed candidate and party filing deadlines. Under the new law, parties have flexibility to adopt electronic, mail or other voting means for party assemblies. Parties may also fill vacancies without the traditional assembly or appointment committee process, instead filling the vacancy by a respective party chair. The broad expansion to these laws is repealed Dec. 31, 2020 unless further extended by the state legislature at a later date.

In addition to signing this legislation, Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued an executive order directing state political parties to amend, temporarily, any party rules or bylaws in order to comply with directives under the state’s emergency declaration. On the regulatory front, the secretary of state was directed to “set deadlines consistent with any amended party rules and bylaws and take appropriate actions,” allowing the June 30 Primary to proceed uninterrupted.

Extending flexibility in voting options, and specifically vote by mail processes, have historically had a favorable effect on both reducing election costs and increasing voter turnout in Colorado.[1] Expanding flexibility in these processes could have ongoing implications for the candidate selection process throughout the 2020 election cycle, as well as future elections.

The following is a breakdown of the policies each major political party adopted to govern proceeding in its respective 2020 district and county assemblies:

 Colorado Democratic PartyColorado Republican Party
Electronic notification and votingNotification reduced from 10 days, to threeAll forms of voting permitted, including electronic; records must be verifiableBoth electronic notification and electronic transmission of vote permittedRecords must be verifiable and kept on file for six months
Quorum requirementsMay be reduced or waived entirelyRequirements suspended, but must have three delegates participate
Multi-district requirementsCoordinated through the state partyRules suspended
Remote participation & Proxy votingRemote participation allowedProxies limited to five per delegateNo proxies for remote participantsRemote participation allowedProxies limited to five per delegateNo proxies for remote participants
DeadlinesCounty assemblies must be completed by April 11. Candidate filings and nomination deadlines extended to May 1  County/District assemblies must be completed by April 11 (limited period of no more than seven days)Nomination deadlines may be set by district/county officers in advance of assembly/convention
Dispute resolutionNone on recordCandidate/delegate must file dispute within two days of adjournmentState executive committee recommends determination to State Central Committee, which makes final decision
Misc.Candidates still required to receive 30 percent or more support to be placed on ballotChanges in voting process must be completed in three days prior to votingChanges to credentialing/voting at state assembly requires seven-day advance notificationCompleted delegations and conventions are exempt for emergency bylaws

[1] Costs: https://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/assets/2016/03/coloradovotingreformsearlyresults.pdf

Turnout: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/5/23/17383400/vote-by-mail-home-california-alaska-nebraska

Earth Day and the Oil and Gas Industry

By
Beth Cubriel
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oil-image

As we celebrate Earth Day this week, we will learn about new opportunities to contribute to a cleaner planet. But we shouldn’t have this discussion without recognizing the contributions from the oil and gas industry that help us to be “green”. Here are the facts:

  • Even as energy production and use has been on the incline, at least prior to the coronavirus quarantine, America’s CO2 emissions from power generation have declined 17% since 2000.
  • In addition, America’s refineries voluntarily spent more than $160 billion starting in 1990 on producing cleaner-burning fuels. As a result, the gasoline we use in our cars today has reduced levels of sulfur and toxins.
  • There are many things we can do to lessen our carbon footprints, such as riding bikes or walking instead of driving. Did you know that bicycle tires are made from petrochemicals? So are the rubber soles of our walking and running shoes.
  • Working from home is another great way to use less energy. Doing so would not be possible without petrochemicals either. Cell phones, computer keyboards and screens are made possible because of the energy industry.
  • Even “renewable energy” is not possible without petrochemicals. Wind turbines and solar energy both have petrochemicals in their make-up.

Some will celebrate Earth Day by mischaracterizing the work of the oil and gas industry. They will cheer for a world without fossil fuels and ignore the industry’s contributions to reducing our country’s carbon foot print. It’s important to consider that not only does the energy industry take seriously their commitment to reducing emissions, as listed above, their products also provide for an improved quality of life:

  • According to the World Bank, approximately a billion people in the world live without access to energy, a direct barrier to education and health care.
  • Everyday products made possible by the energy industry include televisions, antiseptics, televisions, coffee makers, combs, credit cards, dishwashing liquid, toilet seats, drinking cups, sporting equipment such as footballs and golf balls, paint brushes, trash bags, clothing and carpet.
  • And finally, the industry brings us lifesaving products including heart valves, motorcycle helmets, oxygen masks, surgical equipment, IV bags, stethoscopes, medicines, and artificial limbs.

So let’s celebrate Mother Earth and America’s energy industry that makes Earth Day possible.

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Noteworthy Week in Wisconsin: Election Results, COVID-19 Legislation, Safer at Home Order Extended

By
John Zordani
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Wisconsin state flag

Although normal daily life has been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was a busy week in Wisconsin.

Election Results

On Monday, election results were announced from last week’s Spring election. The election took place the previous Tuesday, but a court ruling extended the deadline for absentee ballots. The election garnered national attention and was the subject of various lawsuits and disagreement between the Governor and legislature. The ballot included the Presidential primary, the state Supreme Court race, and various referenda and local elections.

In line with the national trend, former Vice President Joe Biden defeated Senator Bernie Sanders in Wisconsin, in his bid to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination. Senator Sanders dropped out of the race shortly after the April 7th election but before results were tallied.

In an upset victory, Jill Karofsky defeated incumbent Dan Kelly for a seat on the state Supreme Court. Karofsky’s victory will narrow conservative control of the court to a 4-3 margin, setting up an election for control of the court in 2023, when Chief Justice Patience Roggensack is up for reelection.

Legislative Package

On Tuesday, the Assembly passed coronavirus relief legislation by a vote of 97-2. Then on Wednesday, the Senate unanimously approved the measure, with Governor Tony Evers signing the bill into law shortly after that day.

The law waives the one week unemployment benefit waiting period and prohibits insurance companies from discriminating coverage on the basis of having COIVD-19. Additionally, the law lowers required nurse training hours and relaxes certain health care employee licensing requirements. Also under the law, the bill allows local governments to defer their residents’ property tax payments. Lastly, the Joint Finance Committee can now allocate up to $75 million, as late as 90 days after the public health emergency.

Safer at Home Extended

Finally, on Thursday, Governor Evers announced he and Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm were extending the Safer at Home Order until May 26th. The Order will close schools for the remainder of the academic year and also contains certain adjustments to the previous order, such as opening golf courses.

While the Governor noted Safer at Home is flattening the curve, he stressed that before the state’s economy can reopen, Wisconsin must have increased testing capacity, PPE, and contact tracing.

Republican lawmakers, on the other hand, are considering taking legislative or legal action over the Order extension, criticizing the approach as one-size-fits-all and questioning the scope of the Administration’s legal authority.

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