Placing aside for a moment the moral, fiscal and political arguments churning the battle over healthcare reform, let's consider a few factors that will benefit the PR industry should any tangible measure get passed.

First, competition = PR dollars. Should President Obama and most Democrats in Congress get their way and push through a reform package with a public option, competition would inevitibly increase; but that will likely happen without the public option, anyway. Whether you see a government healthcare plan as a nightmare or a necessity, its existence -- good or bad -- will spur action among insurers who see a threat in another competitor. That means more marketing, more positioning, more lobbying and more overall PR spending.

Second, change = PR dollars. Reform is change. More people buying insurance means insurers would be smart to adapt to get them signed up to their plans. Whether it's casting a wider net in entering new markets or a more refined effort trying to grow business from wider pools in existing regions, insurance companies will be changing marketing plans and that requires help. Trade groups will be straining themselves to explain that private companies are the best alternative and that public healthcare is the devil. That requires budgets and outside counsel.

Third, government action = PR dollars. Love it or hate it, Uncle Sam loves his PR budget. From Medicare to the Middle East, tax dollars are fueling public relations and strategic communications efforts on behalf of government programs and the military. PR is going to be required to explain any healthcare reforms, and you can bet that a lot of federal PR will be needed if Congress passes a public option.

Fourth, high health costs = strained PR agencies. Reform is being touted to curb rising costs. That's the fundamental argument for doing it -- "we can't afford not to." The last few years have seen agencies often choosing contract PR pros over hiring full-time staffers partially to avoid paying expensive health benefits. A study by StevensGouldPincus in '06 said soaring costs (sub req'd) were a major concern of PR agencies, with 94 percent of 160 firms saying they had to make employees part part of their health costs. Small and medium-sized firms have been particularly vulnerable as they often have to pay higher costs per staffer than large agencies.

Reining in costs would likely mean more PR jobs (and happier staffers) if the cost-per-employee could be frozen or even reduced.

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