Recent changes in health care policy related to flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and over the counter (OTC) reimbursement could bring about real shifts in how consumers view their health and wellness options.

The use of over-the-counter medications is rising around the world, but the economic downturn is impacting usage. Manufacturers need to encourage responsible proactive usage and reinforce their brand equity to negate the threat of store brands and generics.

How consumers treat minor ailments and who they trust for advice varies globally. Tailoring marketing efforts will help drive brand equity and build loyalty with consumers and capitalize on growth opportunities.

Because insured and uninsured populations vary significantly, insurance companies will have to develop even more targeted initiatives and reexamine their current members’ ongoing medical and wellness needs.

President Obama’s recent health care address restored some confidence in his handling of the topic according to a focus group polled by CBS News in conjunction with Nielsen.

As the debate on health care in the U.S. continues, President Obama detailed his vision for health insurance reform in his second address to a joint session of Congress…

Maggie Gray, Research Analyst, Online Division
When Sen. Edward Kennedy died late on Tuesday Aug. 25, a year after his 2008 appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, news coverage and online discussion began in earnest as soon as the Kennedy family made the announcement.
By the end of Wednesday (Aug. 26) Kennedy attracted nearly 1% of all blog buzz, according to Nielsen’s BlogPulse search engine, and by Thursday morning (Aug. 27), he was the most-discussed person in the blogosphere. His New York Times obituary was also the most-cited news …

Discussions on health care, changes in the economy and reductions in employer insurance coverage are affecting how Americans are learning about and purchasing insurance products. Consumers view the three categories of Health, Property and Casualty, and Life Insurance differently and they use different sources to get information and make purchases. The latest Nielsen Insurance Audit from Nielsen Claritas (released every two years) identifies some of the emerging insurance trends (such as a decline in life and health insurance) and purchasing behaviors with American consumers. The study collected responses from more …

Recent discussions of a new U.S. health care plan have focused as much on wealth as they have on health.  To help pay for expanded coverage to the estimated 40-50 million uninsured Americans, proposals in the House of Representatives have centered on a “wealth surcharge” for high income households. The surcharges include one focused on those with combined incomes over $350,000 annually, and another on those with incomes over $1,000,000.
Looking at 210 Designated Market Areas (DMAs) across the U.S., Nielsen Claritas demographic data shows that just over 800,000 households (roughly …

Draws 4.1 Million Fewer Viewers Than Third Press Conference
In a continued push for congressional support of health care reform President Obama held his fourth prime time press conference on Wednesday July 22, 2009. The conference was carried live from 8:00PM to approximately 9:00PM on 11 networks. The sum of average audience for those networks was 24,682,519 viewers and had a combined household rating of 16.3. The networks carrying the press conference were ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision*, Telemundo*, BBC-A, BET, CNBC, CNN, FOX News Channel, and MSNBC.

Viewing to last night’s press …