Medicare Seeks Multiple PR Partners

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which greatly increased spending on private PR firms in 2003, "is looking for at least three agencies that will be responsible for nearly all of its outreach programs over the next five years." CMS's current "preferred" firms - the only ones it solicits pitches from - are Ketchum, GCI Group, Ogilvy PR and American Education Development. "Under the last umbrella contract," reports PR Week, "Ketchum led a $25 million integrated marketing campaign to drive people to the Medicare (800) number and website." The new $17.25 million contract will involve "research, messaging, social marketing, education, training, and media relations." One priority will be "raising awareness of reforms mandated by the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act," which Congress mandated additional funding for "education and enrollment efforts around."