The coronavirus has changed the health industry over the past few years and as a new year approaches, EmblemHealth, one of America’s largest not-for-profit health insurers, is ready to meet the challenges ahead of 2023, according to the company’s CEO, Karen Ignagni.
“As we know, the past two years in the healthcare industry have presented our family of companies with opportunities to pivot and adapt because of the challenges posed by Covid-19 and the rising cost of healthcare across the country,” Ignagni told LaborPress. “At EmblemHealth, we are constantly navigating through these changes to continue delivering comprehensive care to New Yorkers.”
EmblemHealth provides insurance plans, primary and specialty care and wellness solutions to more than 3 million people in the New York tri-state area.
“The family of companies [under EmblemHealth] covers the whole health journey,” said Ignagni.
EmblemHealth’s medical practices include AdvantageCare Physicians, BronxDocs, EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care (a community healthcare resource hub), occupational health clinic EmblemHealth Health@Work and EmblemHealth Family Dental. It also has WellSpark Health, a barrier-breaking well-being, disease prevention and management company, said the CEO.
AdvantageCare Physicians, one of the largest primary and specialty care practices in the New York area, provides quality, personalized care focused on the whole patient. It has over 30 medical offices across the city’s five boroughs and Long Island, serving over half a million patients, including 120,000 Medicaid members, the CEO added.
“We operate 14 EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care centers in low-income neighborhoods,” said the CEO. “We provide in-person and virtual customer support, access to community resources, like food access and programming to help the entire community learn healthy behaviors.
“Members and non-members can visit Neighborhood Care and take advantage of our classes, resources and face-to-face support.”
EmblemHealth members should expect changes during this year’s open enrollment for healthcare plans, including Medicare, according to Ignagni.
“These changes include new policies that enable our members to better manage their chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension,” Ignagni said. “They can also expect reduced costs for insulin and for many vaccines, as well as more resources to address social determinants of health, like food insecurity and basic over-the-counter medicines for those on our Dual Special Needs plans.
“Expecting families will also notice expanded pre-natal and post-partum coverage.”
Ignagni also acknowledged that choosing a health plan for one’s self or family next year is a big responsibility, but EmblemHealth will help guide its members and those looking for health insurance throughout the open enrollment process.
“In addition to helping over the phone and through our website, we’re unique in offering in-person help at our EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care Centers located throughout the city and Long Island,” she said.
EmblemHealth is constantly working with its network of companies to improve member, patient and community experiences. Next, it will continue to be at the forefront of implementing modern and accessible care pathways by empowering providers with its state-of-the-art online provider resource hub, said Ignagni.
The platform gives doctors the power to search for claims and check details of each claim, request approval for services and attach clinical paperwork digitally—actions typically done by fax and telephone for decades, the CEO added.
“Medicaid and HARP members (ages 18-45) planning to start a family can also access a dedicated telehealth pregnancy portal to get information on childbirth education classes, breastfeeding support, nutrition and child safety free of cost. To enroll, members can call an EmblemHealth Medicaid phone number and ask to join,” said Ignagni.
To better address chronic illnesses in the workplace and adapt to a new workforce post-pandemic, EmblemHealth and its leading well-being and disease prevention company, WellSpark Health, worked with the city and its unions to launch an enhanced employee-care service for labor and municipal workforces.
“This partnership provides a combination of concierge-style member services, care management, one-on-one health coaching, centers of excellence in specialized care and member incentives to New Yorkers,” said Ignagni, “especially for our frontline labor and municipal workers that kept our city thriving during the pandemic.”
To learn more about a customized health plan, visit emblemhealth.com/plans or speak with an EmblemHealth team member at (800) 447-8255. To enroll in health insurance, call NY State of Health at 1 (855) 355-5777.
