The Maine Department of Heath and Human Services
CoverME.gov
Services
Team
Expanding Access to Affordable Health Coverage
In 2023, with inflation hovering around 4%, many Mainers found themselves struggling to afford housing, food, and healthcare. Enter CoverME.gov—the Health Insurance Marketplace designed to help individuals and families across Maine find financial savings and enroll in affordable, high-quality health insurance coverage.
Two years after Maine’s transition from Healthcare.gov to a state-run Health Insurance Marketplace, the Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) reached out to Ethos for help increasing brand awareness of CoverME.gov and enrollment in qualified health insurance plans.
Our charge?
Increase awareness, reduce barriers, and motivate uninsured and underinsured Mainers to enroll in affordable coverage.
A Plan that Fits, A Price that Works
In the fall of 2023, Ethos launched a strategic campaign aimed at uninsured and underinsured Mainers—particularly young men, workers in industries less likely to offer employer-sponsored health insurance, and BIPOC individuals. With moderate inflation and financial concerns top of mind, the challenge was clear: How do we motivate Mainers to explore health insurance coverage options despite financial concerns and the complexity of choosing the right plan?
Using primary and secondary research, we identified the biggest barriers to enrollment—cost and complexity. Rather than relying on guilt or fear, we developed a campaign that addressed these concerns head-on, highlighting benefits such as financial savings to help lower the cost of quality plans, and free, unbiased assistance available to help navigate the enrollment process. Grounded in behavior change marketing principles, our messaging reframed health insurance as more than just an expense—but also a choice that offers security and peace of mind. By equipping Mainers with knowledge and support, we empowered them to make confident, informed health insurance coverage decisions for themselves and their families.
Meeting Mainers Where They Are
To maximize impact, Ethos developed a multiplatform open enrollment campaign, incorporating TV, radio, digital search and display ads We also promoted social media content including stories and short-form vertical video (SFVV) on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.
The coordinated campaign was designed to give Mainers relevant information in the places they already spend time, helping to reduce barriers to enrollment and increase motivation to take the first step by visiting coverME.gov.
YOU GOT THIS.
Change is expensive. Heath care coverage that matches your new life doesn’t have to be.
Radio Spot: 30 sec
For the 2024-2025 campaign, Ethos built on the success of 2023 by increasing social media activity, introducing new influencer partnerships, and campaign creative. Micro-influencer marketing proved remarkably effective, resonating with both younger and older audiences while reinforcing the message that health insurance provides freedom and peace of mind.
Additionally, in the second year of the campaign, we focused on promoting the difference between the “sticker price” of health insurance (which can often be a barrier) and the actual price, after applying federal tax credits—something that significantly lowered the monthly premium cost of high quality health insurance for 85% of Mainers that applied in 2024.
How’d We Do?
The 2024-25 campaign delivered record-breaking results, in both enrollment and engagement.
Fast Facts
The result? A record breaking year in enrollment.
Nearly 65,000 Maine residents secured affordable coverage for 2025 through CoverME.gov during the open enrollment period. More than 11,000 of them were new Marketplace consumers—the highest number of new enrollees since Maine transitioned to a state-based marketplace in 2021.
