While the company name may be changing to Anthem, the community commitment will remain unchanged. For instance, when| Empire discovered blood pressure rates trending high in a predominantly South Asian community in Queens, the health insurer took note — and action. Upon closer look, company leaders discovered most of the members in that community were on Medicaid but had day jobs and could not easily get to daytime events that offered blood pressure screenings. After Empire moved the events to weekends and evenings, it saw the overall blood pressure for the tracked members in the community drop by 5 percent.
A similar data-driven community health story unfolded in Brooklyn: the company discovered that the rate of low-birth-weight babies born to Black women were three times the city’s overall average rate. The company targeted one predominantly Black neighborhood by funding a local organization that trained doulas and provided food delivery programs to support nutrition. The number of low-birth-weight babies for the tracked members in that neighborhood decreased by 3.5 percent.
Both efforts relied on granular, ZIP code-based data and targeted interventions designed to support positive health outcomes.
“That’s the difference between being just a health insurance company and a company focused on whole health,” said Dr. Mark Levy, president and CEO for Empire’s Medicaid division. “We would prefer to teach our members about fitness and nutrition and help them get fruits and vegetables so they can proactively take control of their health,” Levy said.
Addressing food insecurity, education and beyond
Last year, Empire associates volunteered more than 10,000 hours in the community. In addition, Empire partners with more than 300 nonprofits, including Food Bank for New York City, City Harvest, and Tent Ministries, with whom Empire funds a co-branded food distribution truck that serves Brooklyn.
Finding the right community partnerships that help Empire have impact in the community is critical. Aside from the food assistance programs, some of the company's community partnerships include:
- New York Mets: To complement the team’s Health & Wellness programming, the Mets, with Empire's support, launched “Mindfulness with the Mets.” This program encouraged young students to learn about the importance of mental health and find ways to bring positive thinking and solutions to help ease anxiety and combat depression.
- PENCIL Inc.: The nonprofit that helps mentor students in the Bronx about everything from financial literacy to writing resumés.
- Public Health Solutions: Empire worked to establish a diaper distribution bank.
- Public School 398: In addition to a food pantry, Empire administers blood pressure screenings outside the school.
- Montefiore Medical Center and the New York Parks Department: The groups co-hosted Fit Fest in the Bronx, inviting community-based organizations to come to share resources and educational materials with community members in attendance.
“Unlike most of our competitors here in New York, we’re able to leverage our foundation to provide grants for local organizations to address whole-health issues,” said Manisha Franklin, Empire’s director of community relations for Medicaid.
“The job is not done until every child has access to quality education and healthcare, but in the meantime every bag of groceries and every diaper makes a difference for our communities.”
The distribution of groceries is particularly important, Franklin says, noting that many members live in neighborhoods with easy access to sugar-filled drinks and fast food but with a lack of supermarkets selling affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. “We have community health educators talking about nutrition at stimulating and appealing events,” she said.
Community centers as problem solvers
Empire has 16 community service centers across New York that will soon feature the Anthem name. These centers help Medicaid members navigate their health insurance plans — but they also support the community in navigating social and economic barriers that might prevent them from getting the care they need in the first place.
While the associates at the centers are helping to solve these problems, they are also building relationships. “We have deep roots in the communities that we serve,” Franklin said. “Social responsibility is a pillar that we stand on.”
Beyond these centers, Empire coordinates and facilitates from 100 to 200 events a month in underserved communities — frequently in partnership with local nonprofits. Empire associates speak most of the major languages represented in New York’s diverse communities.
“We are there to make people’s lives better and help them know the faces of our staff,” said Victor Bell, director of Medicaid sales and marketing for Empire. “The relationships we have with our members and partners in the community will continue to be our guiding light.”