The Baltimore Ravens will partner with the Obama administration to help implement Obamacare in Maryland, the Maryland health department announced on Tuesday.
According to The Hill, this is the “first official partnership formed with a sports franchise to encourage participation in President Obama’s signature healthcare law.”
The White House had sought Obamcare partnerships with the NBA and NFL, but “both leagues backed away under pressure from congressional Republicans.”
The Obama administration believes the law will only succeed if healthy young men buy into the program, and that demographic watches sports, especially football.
“The partnership will provide Maryland Health Connection with the opportunity to reach and engage fans while making them aware of the new opportunity they have for health coverage beginning this fall through the health insurance marketplace,” the state’s health department said in a statement.
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat who will most likely run for president in 2016, wants to successfully implement the law in his state to solidify his resume. The Ravens have partnered with the state in the past to promote Medicaid programs. In 2006, the Boston Red Sox partnered with Massachusetts to promote its healthcare law, which was a precursor to Obamacare.
According to Maryland’s health department, “71 percent of uninsured people in the state watched, attended or listened to a Ravens game in the past year.”
The Ravens are the defending Super Bowl champions, and they will open the NFL regular season on Thursday at Denver.
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