Ellen Duffield: Highmark Wholecare Hires People with Disabilities

Welcome to Disability Matters with your host Joyce Bender. All comments, views, and opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host, guest, and callers. Now the host of Disability Matters, here's Joyce Bender.

Hey everyone, welcome to the show, and thank you, thank you, thank you, all of you listeners in North America and around the world. But wow, I can't believe the number of people that listen to that show with Gerald and I talking about the ADA, Disability Pride Month. So thank you so much. But you know what? I'm so, I'm so lucky to have all of you. I have great listeners. And for those of you listening live, great. But I know many of you have to listen on demand because of your work. And that's great too. I only ask you Spread the news. Tell other people about this show. Share the podcast. That will really, really help. And call in. So someone listening to the show right now, I expect you to call in next week so that we can hear your question on the air. Then to those countries around the world, from China to Australia Thank you so much for being such a devoted listener. And, you know, there's only one of you. One of you is enough to get things going, to get things moving. For example, this fall I'll be going to Brazil and I will be with a disability rights leader who just happens to work for the State Department, Richard Roberts, and he is phenomenal. And I'll be meeting his great assistant there, Carla, and he is a disability rights leader. You know that he is awesome, and so is Gangyang Cho in South Korea, Cheryl Smith right at the State Department, and Vinh Umin who is in Kazakhstan. So thank you. I've been to more countries than that, but I have some people I've just really, really connected with, and I really appreciate your, uh, commitment to this show. Also, Yoshiko Dart, hello. I never forget you. Special shout out to the widow of the late, great Justin Dart Jr. Yoshiko, you and Justin, your picture is all over my Disability Pride tree. But a special shout out to you and a thanks to, what can I say? Highmark has been a supporter of mine for years and years and the sponsor of this radio show. So I am excited today as a matter of fact, To have an executive from Highmark who is joining us, which that just tells you something about Highmark. You know that we started the year with David Holmberg, then Karen Hanlon, then Mick Malek, now Ellen, and soon Deb Rice. These are all the top, very top people in the organization. For example, Ellen Duffield is the President and CEO of Highmark Whole Care. And Ellen, it is such a pleasure to have you back with us again. It's an honor, as I just said, to have someone at the CEO level so committed to employing people with disabilities. Thank you for joining us again.

Well, Joyce, thank you for welcoming me back again. It's my privilege to be here with you today. And I'm looking forward to our conversation.

Thank you. Well, you know, Ellen, I still— I know you talked about this before, but we have a lot of new listeners and they always want to know more about our guests. So would you mind sharing your story with the listeners, like where you grew up and then went to college, why you moved into the healthcare field, and then what led you to Highmark Whole Care?

Sure. Thank you, and good afternoon or good morning, everybody, wherever you are. Appreciate you. So, a little bit about myself. I grew up in a multigenerational family. So, my maternal grandparents lived with us as I— as we were growing up. And my grandfather, I was very, very close to. We used to go to baseball games together regularly. But my grandpa, unfortunately, was a smoker, and when I was 11 years old, he had his voice box removed. He had a laryngectomy, and he had to learn how to talk all over again. And my grandfather, being the individual that he was, went ahead and started a community group for other laryngectomies in the Philadelphia area called the Speakeasy Club. So, you know, life dealt him a challenge and he rose to it and turned it into something terrific for a lot of people. And then later on—

That is awesome, you know that? Oh, I love the name of that group. Oh, that is so cool. Okay, sorry to interrupt you, go ahead.

No, that's great. So, my grandfather was also a diabetic. And, you know, diabetes is a very serious disease and, quite frankly, an epidemic in this country. But, unfortunately, he had a problem with his feet and ultimately had a below-knee amputation and then learned to walk again and then, unfortunately, had another below-the-knee amputation a few years later. But my grandpop was the kind of person who had a very can-do attitude and would just continue to drive on that. So much so that when I got married a very long time ago, he, in addition to my father, walked me down the aisle. So, I always had so much respect and love for him and his spirit, and, you know, always thought, "Gosh, there's got to be a better way." But in addition to all the things that I talked about with my grandpop, he took care of my two— I had two maiden aunts who lived alone in Philadelphia. And my one aunt unfortunately had a cataract removal that did not go well and really contributed to her decline. And, you know, part of the challenge was that, you know, care was not coordinated across her for primary care physicians, et cetera. And, you know, my reaction to that was there's just got to be a better way, right? We have to do better for our families, for our communities. That really led me into the healthcare space in terms of, you know, how can we make it better? I should also say I'm a daughter of a nurse, I'm a sister of a nurse, I'm a wife of a nurse, and I'm a mother of a nurse. So healthcare surrounds me wherever I go. So that's what led me to healthcare. And I've always had a passion for working with individuals in government programs. So Medicare programs, Medicaid programs, CHIP, the Affordable Care Act that we have in the United States. But all these programs really look to serve the needs of the broader community and often those individuals who don't always have access to employer-based coverage. And, you know, the more I learned about the opportunities to really coordinate care and make sure that an individual's, you know, caregivers, their physicians, their families are well aware of the entirety of that person and can work together as a team to help improve that person's health and quality of life, you know, that I want to be a part of every time. And I really see managed care as the opportunity in government programs in particular to do that. And then how I wound up at Highmark, I worked at many, many, many health plans, those that are for-profit, those that are not-for-profit. Other Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, and then other parts of what you would call the healthcare system, whether it's for somebody who provides technology services or pharmacy services. And there are certain names in the industry that stand out as very high-quality, mission-oriented organizations, and Highmark would be one of those. So when I got the call about an opportunity to join Highmark, I was very excited. And at the time, it was called Gateway Health Plan, which Highmark owned half of, and Highmark ultimately bought the other half in 2021. But having the opportunity to work with an organization such as Highmark was a real privilege and opportunity. And Gateway Health Plan and Highmark has been serving Pennsylvania Medicaid participants for over 30 years, so really a well-established established, well-respected organization in the community. And that's how I wound up at Highmark.

Oh, boy, that is a great story. You went to where? Virginia?

I'm sorry, go ahead, Joyce.

Where did you go to school?

Oh, I went to Temple University in Philadelphia, a mission-oriented university. Their mascot is an owl.. And the reason the mascot is an owl is because originally many Temple students were working full-time and going to school at night, so Temple Owls. So, I went and got my undergraduate degree there, and then I got my master's degree from Pennsylvania State University. So, Pennsylvania through and through. And both learning opportunities were really tremendous experiences for me as well.

Those are two great universities, and what a great story. I mean, you can see how much you loved your family and the impact that they instilled in you of like, whatever it takes, you know, that whatever it takes, uh, positive attitude is just a great story. And now here you are at Highmark Whole Care, and I want to just tell everyone Just like, uh, Karen Hanlon and David Holmberg and Karen, uh, Deb Rice Johnson and, uh, well, everyone there. Oh, Larry Kleinman, here he is, an EVP over all human resources, and he's on, he's on a meeting with me today. Do you know why? Once a month Why is that? They all— once a month, they all get on with me, him and his little team, to talk about the Highmark 3333. So for those of you that don't know, you know, when Ellen was saying how great this company is, David came up with the idea 3 years ago, hey, we're going to hire 30 people from you to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Now, this was, remember, through the pandemic. And they did. They did hire 30 people, but they didn't stop. The next year it was 31, and the next year it was 32, and now this year it's 33. There is no company doing that. None. No company in the United States. But that's— yeah, that's what Ellen is talking about. But Ellen, Highmark Whole Care, what does the company do and where do you service in Pennsylvania and/or beyond?

Sure. So, Highmark Whole Care is a community-based health plan, and we've been in— we've been serving Pennsylvania, again, for over 30 years. Our, our previous name was Gateway Health Plan. But we care for the people who are in the most need. So we offer what's called a Medicaid plan for individuals who are eligible and participants of Pennsylvania's Health Choices Medicaid program. And we also offer something called a dual special needs plan. And that plan is unique in that it is available for individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. So, our dual special needs plan services the entire state of Pennsylvania with some small exceptions in the northeast portion of the state. So, 63 out of the 67 counties in the state. And then our Medicaid program serves what they call two zones in the state of Pennsylvania where essentially from Reading west to Pittsburgh and then north up into Berks and Blair Counties. So, the central and the southwest part of the state of Pennsylvania. So, all in, we serve approximately 420,000 individuals in the state of Pennsylvania. And then we also have some membership under this blue brand in Delaware. We serve some other 140,000 Medicaid participants in Delaware. Under a different brand. So, a lot of reach. And, you know, in addition to, you know, providing great access to high-quality physicians and hospitals, we really seek to serve the whole person. You know, it's one thing to have a physician's appointment, but it's important to have a ride there. And back. You know, if you need some assistance with getting a utility bill paid, or if, you know, in the case of some of our dual special needs members, you know, if they need— we have a food card that enables them to buy healthy food. So, you know, for example, if you have diabetes, you want to make sure that you're eating fresh fruits and vegetables. So, we provide a card to our members that helps supplement their income so they can make sure that they have these— have access to these healthy foods. So, we really look to think about the whole person in terms of how we're delivering services and benefits to them. And I think that we really stand out in the community in that regard.

Yeah, I think that's wonderful. And once again, if you're a person living with a disability in Pennsylvania and/or Delaware, This is a company you can trust. So, you know, there are people that offer Medicaid services, but I always tell people, go to where the rubber meets the road. And you know what that is? Where they hire people. That's where rubber meets the road. And by the way, Ellen and her group at Highmark Whole Care just recently hired two people with disabilities from our company. So, you know, it's easy to talk the talk. It's another thing to hire someone. So I just want to mention that to everyone so you know. For our listeners, you mentioned dual eligibility. So what offerings are there for Medicaid and Medicare recipients, and are there other special programs you want to discuss?

Well, within each— within each program, so I'll talk about the Dual Special Needs Program. So, that's, again, for individuals who have both Medicare and Medicaid eligibility. And, you know, when I think most people hear Medicare, they think about people who are 65 and older. But a Dual Special Needs member is different, right, because many times they have access to eligibility for Medicare as a result of a disability. So, our dual special needs members tend to be between 50 and 55 years old. And, you know, those programs where we look at, you know, all the services and support that we want to put into that program, of course, you have your basic Medicare coverage that someone would have if they were getting fee-for-service Medicare, but then we can add differentiating value-based benefits in support of our membership. And given that, you know, many folks have socioeconomic needs, you know, that's how we're able to provide things like a food benefit. So our individuals get a monthly card that every month they have access to $135 in food benefits that they can, you know, go to Walmart or Giant Eagle or their local grocery store to the grocery store and get their groceries and also assistance with their utilities. Because again, we really wanna look at the entire person. So not only will we help you pay for your food, but we'll also get you a ride to the grocery store. So again, really thinking about the entire person. In addition to that, Joyce Bender, certainly for our members who have other disease states, et cetera, like diabetes or congestive heart failures, we have additional programs that we can have that individual work with the care manager to really track and focus on improving, you know, their overall health and quality of life so they can live their best life possible. And then in Medicaid space, again, we offer a variety of services and benefits to our members, but certainly support in terms of housing, financial support, employment counseling. We have a whole host of programs. And in addition to that, Joyce Bender, again, I think this is something that makes, you know, Highmark and Highmark Whole Care unique in the market is that we work with local community groups in terms of serving the needs of the community. So we know our neighborhoods that we're serving, and we know the community organizations within those those neighborhoods that are serving, you know, what you talked about when the rubber hits the road. You know, those organizations who are delivering food during the pandemic or making sure that folks had their house insulated for the winter, et cetera. So we work with those organizations as well. Sometimes it's through funding. Sometimes it's through arms and legs and volunteer work of our associates. Out there in the community, but we really do spend time to make sure that we understand the specific needs of the communities in which our members live. So, there are services within the, you know, what I would say within the, I'll say the formal benefit offerings, but then there's also things that we do in the community as well to serve our members and the community at large for that matter.

Well, you know what, I think that is, Even I didn't know all of that, Ellen, all those other things you provide to people. That is really, that's really great. As you just said, that's looking at the whole person. And I hope you're listening, getting the whole picture here. This is the CEO, Ellen Duffy, of Highmark Whole Care. So, Ellen, I wanted to ask you how someone becomes a member of Highmark Whole Care.

Certainly. Well, I said, you know, how does that—

what I mean is, how does someone— how does someone start using your services?

Okay, so you would, you would have to enroll. And, you know, number one, establish your eligibility. So, in each state, just to— for your listeners, each state is a little bit different, okay? So, you know, what the eligibility and enrollment rules may be in Delaware are different from what they are in Pennsylvania. They may be different for, you know, California, Texas, Florida, et cetera. So, it's always important to check with your state's eligibility requirements. In the state of Pennsylvania, they have what they call an enrollment broker. Because it's very important to ensure that individuals, when they're making that enrollment selection, really have an opportunity to compare the different health plans that are available to them where they live and that they make the best choice that works for them and their family. And then they can enroll through this enrollment broker called Maximus. And they will place them in their health plan. And there they can remain until they're due to recertify their eligibility, at which point— Joyce Bender, I'd like to make a bit of a public service announcement here. I think folks know that the public health emergency as a result of the pandemic has come to an end. And during the public health emergency, the federal government put a pause on the recertification process for participants in the Medicaid program, and they provided additional funding to the states. So now that the public health emergency has ended, individuals who are participating in Medicaid across the country, so in every state this is happening, but they do need to recertify their eligibility for their Medicaid plan. And most states have provided multiple outreaches to Medicaid participants, as well as the health plans. We, on average, look to outreach to a person via phone and mail and text at least 9 to 10 times before they're due to recertify. So, it's absolutely important that folks respond to these recertification requirements from their state so they maintain their coverage. So, I just wanted to put a word in about that because it's very, very important. You know, folks want to make sure that they maintain their coverage, that they maintain— if they're in a care management program or special program with their health plan, that they maintain that access for that. As it relates to our dual special needs plan, the individual needs to be eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare, and they can go to www.highmarkwholecare.com for additional information on how to enroll there as well.

That is— that's great. That is really good. So that's how— they enroll in the program. And I'm sure if they have questions, there's a number to call where they can talk to someone in customer service. Yeah, because, you know, this is difficult for some people to understand all the ins and outs of this whole thing, especially, for example, like with that dual eligibility. And that's why I would encourage you, don't hesitate, call, call or send an email on that Contact Us, but ask. Don't rely really on someone that is not strike zone in this area. And who would that be? The people that work at iMarkz Whole Care. So, you know, don't forget that if you— something you don't understand, You take time and you ask. And I know, Ellen, that you would agree with me that you have to make sure you get the right information.

Absolutely. You know, I would leverage or use our website, and there are folks that are well available to answer your question. You know, all day and well into the evening as well. So, you know, we're there to help answer questions. And then there are other resources that folks can look into as well. Their local area agencies on aging, you know, local disability groups in the area can also assist with this information, but they can start with www.aboutheimarklecare.org. Joycebender.com. That's good.

All right, well, it's time for the news on the half hour. By the way, we are the only show in America that every half hour on this show we provide relevant, up-to-date news for the disability community. And I have a brilliant anchor, news person that does this for me, and that would be Perri-Jude Radesik. Perri, are you with us?

I am, Joyce.

It's good to be here.

So, what news do you have for us today, Perri?

Well, Joyce, I want to cover just some of the initiatives that the White House and federal agencies released last week. It was to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I know many of your listeners listened to you live last week on the 33rd anniversary of the ADA, but the White House also celebrated the ADA, and these initiatives were announced to reinforce our civil rights. So here's some of the things that happened. On July 25th, President Biden issued a proclamation to mark the anniversary of the ADA. President Biden took a moment to celebrate the impact of the ADA and called for a renewed push for opportunity and justice for our community. That same day, President Biden announced a new proposed rule to increase access to mental health services. The proposed rule would reinforce elements of that landmark 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. We know it as mental health parity law. Mental health parity, if you remember, means access to mental healthcare services that are equal to our access to healthcare services. This includes, among other things, the removal of caps. On the number of mental healthcare visits in a year and parity with out-of-pocket costs associated with our access to mental healthcare. The new, uh, actions would require health plans to make changes when they are providing inadequate access to mental healthcare. It would also prohibit health plans from using more restrictive prior authorization practices and close some other loopholes. If you want more information on those initiatives, you can go to disabilityrightsPA.org and click on today's advocacy matters segment, and we have links to those presidential actions. Also, then on July 26th, the U.S. Department of Transportation finally issued a long-awaited rule to the air carriers access Access Act regulations to ensure laboratories on single-aisle aircraft are accessible. Joyce, I'm pretty sure we've talked about this proposed rule some time ago. So, it would require changes that permit an attendant and a disabled person to approach and enter and maneuver the laboratory. The new rule would apply to any aircraft with 125 seats or more with a single aisle. That's why they call it a single-aisle aircraft rule. And the U.S. Department of Transportation noted that 80% of all flights now take place on these single-aisle aircraft. Um, so that was important to make this change. We know advocacy matters. Again, to learn more about the initiatives to discuss in today's show, visit disabilityrightsPA.org and click on today's Advocacy Matters segment. On the homepage, that's again disabilityrightspa.org, you can find the proclamation, the White House fact sheet on mental health action, a link to the original Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, President Biden's remarks on mental healthcare, and the new rule from the US Department of Transportation.

Okay, so I have a couple questions, Perry. That Mental Health Parity Act, how, how does that work that it's equal? Is this like when you go to a company using your benefits that you are sure that you have the same access as you would to health issues with mental health issues? Is that what you mean?

Oh, absolutely. I don't know if folks remember, but I remember when mental health was capped at a certain number of visits annually. So whether you needed more or not, it didn't matter. You were gonna have to pay out of pocket for that. And so maybe you were only authorized for 10 visits a year to a mental health practitioner. Now there should not be a cap. On the number of mental healthcare visits a year. On my own health plan, I do— and I'm fortunate— I do not have a cap on the number of psychiatric visits or therapy visits I get in a year, and I use them whenever my providers require me to visit them. The other issue then is that sometimes providers will use different criteria that will make it harder to get prior authorization for some services. And so what President Biden is trying to do is prohibit more restrictive prior authorization for mental healthcare than there are for healthcare services. And then the other thing it's gonna do is make health, health plans look at their mental healthcare services to make sure that there's real equity. Some other concerns that the community has had is that there are what's called ghost lists. Your provider would give you a list of all the mental healthcare providers that are signed up in the network, but what the community is finding is that when they go to actually call people on that list, they are no longer accepting new patients. So while they may take that health insurance, they are not taking new patients. So we call that a ghost provider list. And so President Biden is trying to deal with all of these issues.

Wow, that's terrible. That is so unethical. That is terrible. Well, thank goodness that he did this. And you keep us up to date on that, Perry, as you always do. And I will look forward to talking to you next week.

Sure, Joyce.

Thank you.

Bye-bye. You're welcome. Um, well, you know, folks, we try to keep you up to date on everything that's going on. And as Perry said, uh, disabilityrightsofpa.org, disabilityrightspa.org, go to their website and check out Advocacy Matters. Um, so, Alan, as I said to you, Highmark is just outstanding in employing people with disabilities. No other company that really— no company has every leader on board all the way up to the CEO. It's amazing. So why do you think that is? I mean, I know, you know, that's unusual.

Yeah, I think it goes to— it goes to two. The two things, Joyce Bender. It is, you know, the mission of the organization and serving the entirety of the community, being inclusive. And then I think the culture of the organization of being inclusive and looking to work with our community leaders and making sure that we are reaching out to everyone, that they are a part of, you know, an organization such as Highmark. And then quite frankly, Joyce, it's just good business. You know, looking at organizations that— and it's well documented that organizations that are broadly diverse in their composition perform better financially. And I don't think that you could find a stronger, more robust organization than the Highmark enterprise. That's been serving Pennsylvania for decades and will continue to do so. But I think it really comes down to the culture of the organization of inclusiveness and looking to work with all individuals in the communities that they serve. And it's—

Yeah, it's so fun.

It's just— why would you— It's really a mission that everybody can believe in and support and really help the communities that they're serving. Sorry about that, I interrupted you.

No, that's fine. You know, it's funny, there's one thing you said that Highmark frequently says to me, and they'll say, "We're not doing you a favor." We're making a business decision, and I hope all of you understand that. You know, I'm all one about no pity. You know, you hire people with disabilities because they have the same skill that someone else has that is able-bodied. But, you know, it's a good business investment for you because you have a person here that's been left out of the equation. Therefore, They're appreciative of work, and people with disabilities have a very high retention. Do you know I have people with disabilities that Highmark has now hired, Ellen, that have been there for 25 years, 20 years, 15 years? I mean, it's amazing. I believe it's wonderful.

I believe it. It's, it's, it's, you know, it's, it's funny you, you mentioned that because You know, a lot of the people that I work with, again, regardless, you know, have been with this organization for a very long time. And that speaks volumes in terms of the, you know, the quality of life this organization, the culture this organization has, that people are committing to it for those years. And, you know, working closely with your organization in making sure that that, you know, as we bring folks on, they're successful and happy and want to stay.

You know, I wanted to say one thing. Disability Rights PA, where you can look up advocacy matters, which is what Perry just talked about, it's disabilityrightspa.org. Disability rights pa dot .org. Alan, I would also have to say that you are very passionate because you grew up with disability, with those stories you just told, right? Diabetes with your grandfather, you know, I mean, all of those stories you just told. And I am very sorry to say that sometimes people with diabetes have a hard time gaining employment, um, due to the benefits. And yet, I have placed people with diabetes at Highmark. So, I think that shaped you also, as you said, seeing what people went through to get healthcare.

Yep. Yep. It's amazing. And, you know, when you look at Highmark, it's, you know, the culture, the mission, The commitment, you know, as you said, where the rubber hits the road. We're not just talking about it, we're doing it. And we've been recognized for it too, Joyce Bender. You know, this is not you and I, you know, it's being named one of the best places to work. You know, Newsweek named us one of the best places to work for diversity. So, one of the best employers in the large category by Forbes. Forbes. So, you know, what Highmark is doing is being noticed and being recognized. And it's, you know, again, it's good for the community. It's good for business. It's good for our employees. So, it's a real win for everybody. And hopefully—

One of my best examples— Yeah, one of my best examples is how you hire people with disabilities coming from the top. Why do I say that? Because many do not. And I just think that's one example in your rainbow of the commitment to diversity, you know, across the board. I really think that Highmark is all about inclusion and equity across the board. So I agree with everything you're saying, Ellen. But let's talk about Ellen. Ellen, What accomplishments, business and personally, both, are you the proudest of last year?

In the past year, we've experienced a tremendous change, Joyce, both within Highmark Whole Care as we became a part of the Highmark enterprise and, you know, learning to do things differently, interacting with new teams, and really helping our guiding our folks through this transition. And I could not be more proud of the work that they've done, because at the same time in the past year, in Pennsylvania, over 450,000 individuals had to make and select a new health plan. So, while we were undergoing that change, we were also out in the communities working with our community organizations and our members and helping people select a new health plan. So, the bottom line is we didn't take our, you know, our eyes off the ball, if you will, in terms of making sure that, you know, while we were changing internally, that our members, our, you know, physician and provider partners, our regulators, that we continue to deliver on all our commitments. To them and had a very strong year, you know, helping people get enrolled, well over 1,000 community events and tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours out in the community. Our folks were out there working with our members. And I think it really is a testament to, you know, our team and the folks who work here that they believe in what we're doing and they care about the people that they serve. I could not be more proud of our team members. And, you know, for myself, it's an honor. You know, it's an honor and a privilege to be able to lead and work with a team of that caliber. So, it's a great privilege.

Yeah. It's wonderful.

Wonderful. There's one thing that's coming, Joyce, that we're very excited about, and I'm sure you're familiar with English House in Philadelphia. And all the great work that they do there. And we were out there last year visiting their innovation center, and we were just so impressed with some of the work that they were doing to serve the community. Things like having a 3D print lab so that they could repair, you know, wheelchair parts for someone, or if they had a special eating utensil, that they could take their 3D printers and food-grade plastic and recreate those for their clients in a matter of hours at a very low cost. And we just said we have to bring that to Pittsburgh. We have to bring that to southwestern Pennsylvania. So we've been working with the English House for over the past year to establish an Innovation Center West And so, we have it in the Bellevue section of Pittsburgh in the— what was formerly the Suburban Hospital there. And we will be having the grand opening in October, and then those services will be available to the community for folks out here in southwestern PA. So, we are super excited. And again, I think it just goes to demonstrate Heimwork's commitment to really serving people in a way that matters. On the day, you know, day in and day out.

Wow, Suburban General, that is great. Uh, such an innovative, uh, a place that Dr. Cohen has put together. I mean, it's really real. That, that is great. That's great.

You're going to be there.

Well, Alan, if you had to name one, one person in your life who impacted you the most, who would that be?

I would have to say it was my grandpa, man by the name of Joe Coon. And, you know, he— watching him as I grew up and, you know, seeing his perseverance and fortitude and humor, and, you know, he inspired me. To go into the healthcare space. And, you know, his can-do attitude sustains me. So, it would be my grandfather.

Wow. That is really a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful thing. Wonderful. Well, Ellen—

I was lucky to have him.

Yeah. Yeah, we are lucky to have people like that in our life. Hey, before we go and before Ellen goes, we have to find out what's going on at Bender Consulting and Bender Leadership Academy. So Gerald Haume, what's going on?

Hi Joyce, well thanks for letting me call in. First, I just want to thank you for everything you do partnering with us for the employment of people with disabilities and the accessibility of your digital spaces to allow people with disabilities to engage in all that HiMark Whole Care has to offer. So thank you for all that you do to include this community. It's a privilege to get to partner with you.

Thank you. We've got some—

oh, absolutely. We've got some great opportunities that I want to talk about in our community, some really exciting and new roles that I want to talk about because I have one of these roles that we get occasionally with some of our customers that are just so excited exciting, I want to outline these rotational programs that are these usually highly competitive— I mean, they are not usually, they are highly competitive programs for people coming right out of school looking to find a role that will just jumpstart their career and really grow them into amazing opportunities to advance quickly into leadership within an organization. And these are highly competitive, hard to get into. Colleges, you know, and universities are dying to have these organizations recruit from their schools. And customers will often engage in Bender when they want to make sure people with disabilities are included in that program and trust us to recruit top-tier talent with disabilities to be included in these rotational programs. So we have a great Supply Chain Planning Rotational Program available in several different locations throughout the United States. So if you're a young person getting out of school with a disability that's interested in any aspect of the supply chain, this is an amazing opportunity for you to get really engaged in that process and get that long-term leadership growth in an organization unlike any opportunity out there. You know, we've had great success with these programs before, getting people with disabilities really truly included and integrated in the workforce. So incredible opportunity that we have available there today. And then also an amazing Salesforce business analyst. We love Salesforce as a tool here at Bender. We utilize it in our internal systems here at our company, and you know, it's a very popular tool out there. There today, and I know they were well represented at the Disability:IN conference. And we are looking for a talented individual to be a Salesforce business analyst for one of our customers. This is looking for somebody with a few years of experience, so 3 to 4 years of experience doing Salesforce implementation to come in and support a role in technology in that space. That one's a remote role working from home, so you can be anywhere in the United States supporting that opportunity. That and many more roles available on benderconsult.com/jobs available. Just go out there and apply today.

And listen, make sure you not only go look, but after you look, share that with someone else. I am all about competitive employment, and you all know that. And why I started Bender Consulting Services is because of the abysmal employment of people with disabilities. And even today, that 68.5% of people with disabilities are not counted in the workforce is shameful. We need more Highmarks. I always say, I told Cindy Donahoe, their chief marketing officer, she may feel free to use this, Highmarks, that's the Highmark for other companies to follow, and they do, especially in many areas. But when it comes to this, it is a fact that when I started the company with Highmark as my partner, I told everyone that without employment, you are never ever free in this country. Can't buy a car, can't rent an apartment, can't live the American dream. So, you know, as I said, if you are looking for this opportunity, we have these all across the United States, right, Gerald?

That's right, all over the U.S., many different cities, some rural areas, and also some work-from-home opportunities.

Okay, so make sure you check it out. And tell everyone else because remember what I said, all about employment. Okay, thank you, Gerald.

Thank you, Joyce, and thank you, Ms. Dunfield.

Thank you.

So, Ellen, what message do you have for our listeners today?

I would just— I'm going to go back, Joyce, to the public service announcement that I was making about making sure that if you are currently a participant in a Medicaid program across the United States, to please note when you have to renew your eligibility and make sure that you keep your coverage available to you so you can continue to receive the healthcare and services that she needs. But I think, you know, in general, as we've talked about at many points in our conversation here today, Highmark and Highmark Whole Care are really committed to a vision where individuals are able to live their best lives. And we do that by addressing those social barriers that they may be encountering, being inclusive in our approach to serving our communities, as well as being equitable in how we treat our employees and inclusive in our hiring practice. You know, we are once again fully committed to you, Joyce Bender, and ensuring that we have a diverse workforce that helps us continue to maintain the performance of Highmark and the premier quality organization that we are. And we thank you for your partnership.

Well, it's an honor for me to be partnered with you and Ellen. You're so gracious to be on the show. CEO— she is the CEO and President of Highmark Whole Care, and she took time to be with us today. What a great person, Ellen, that you are. And we end every show with a quote, and today Uh, and I love this quote. It's from Eleanor Roosevelt. She said, "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people," said Eleanor Roosevelt. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice, where disability matters, at Voice voiceamerica.com. Talk to you all next week, and in the words of Mary Brooker, remember, when you go out today, choose joy.

Voice America would like to thank you for tuning in. Please join us next Tuesday at 11 AM Pacific Time and 2 PM Eastern Time for another installment of Accessibility Matters, right here on the Voice America Variety Channel. We are the leader in live internet talk radio. VoiceAmerica.com.