PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 12, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Independence Blue Cross (IBC), the Philadelphia region's leading insurer, today announced the launch of a video competition to raise awareness about the March 31 deadline to enroll in a new health plan that meets the requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). To enter "IBX: 90 Seconds," participants may submit videos through IBX90Seconds.com or Facebook from their PCs or mobile devices. The contest is aimed at engaging the millennial generation — those individuals born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s — but is open to anyone age 18 and over who meets the eligibility requirements. Participants are eligible to win prize money for entering videos and for voting for their favorite submissions.
The "IBX: 90 Seconds" competition is a call to action to show that everyone can benefit from having health insurance — no matter their age or health status. IBC is asking for video submissions of up to 90 seconds in one of three categories:
- My Independence Blue Cross Insurance Story,
- The Moment I Knew I Needed Health Insurance, and
- A Parent's Wisdom on the Importance of Health Insurance.
"At IBC, our goal is to help people of all ages become better consumers of health care services, so we're excited to be launching the 'IBX: 90 Seconds' video competition as an innovative way to engage our online community and let them know that health insurance makes sense, no matter where you are in your life," said Brian Lobley, IBC senior vice president of marketing and consumer business.
As part of IBC's effort to raise awareness among millennials about the fast-approaching deadline to enroll in an ACA-compliant plan, the health insurer is working with colleges and universities across the region to spread the word. In addition, the university whose student submits the video with the most collective votes may be eligible to win $10,000.
"We're reaching out to students through social media in order to show — in a format that is both entertaining and informative — that having health insurance can help keep them protected now and in the future," said Paula Sunshine, IBC vice president of sales and marketing, consumer business. "By working with universities, we feel we have an excellent opportunity to help inform young Americans about the benefits of signing up for health insurance."
Participants can enter "IBX: 90 Seconds" by uploading a video or by linking to a YouTube video. The contest entry period began at 9:00 a.m. EST on February 7, 2014 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 28, 2014. Voting begins at 12:00 a.m. EST on March 6, 2014 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on March 24, 2014.
Every person who votes will be entered in a sweepstakes to win one of four $250 prize drawings. One grand prize winner will receive $10,000, and three runners up will win $2,500 each. The final winners will be announced at the end of March.
About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve more than 7.5 million people nationwide, including 2.2 million in the region. For more than 75 years, we have been enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more about how we're changing the game, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at ibx.com/facebook and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.