Linda Elam: Working together we will meet the needs of our communities
We are living through a shared experience that marks our days and affects our world in profound, pervasive and lasting ways. The COVID-19 pandemic will be a personal and historical point of reference, and we are grappling with effects that are micro — our day-to-day physical distancing — and macro — the deep financial and health impacts affecting DC, our nation and the globe.
For most of us, nothing else in our lifetimes matches the scope of this pandemic. However, what I know about challenges — and the people who rise to them — elicits a deep well of gratitude and optimism; this is the message of generations-old stories about those who have overcome, those who have lived to tell the tale, and those who have taken disaster and turned it into dreams and manifestation of a better world. I am grateful for the women and men on the front lines of the health care system who put the health and safety of others above their own. I am grateful for first responders, grocery workers, delivery drivers and the many others who are keeping us safe and helping us meet our basic needs. And I am exceedingly grateful for the renewed sense of connection we’re experiencing, and how that is demonstrated through collaboration, problem-solving and lovingkindness.
Responding to COVID-19 truly takes everyone working together. During this time, Amerigroup DC remains focused on serving our community as a Medicaid managed care plan serving approximately 45,000 residents. This includes promoting access to COVID-19 testing and care; making it easier for providers to manage resources and capacity; and keeping our customers and members front and center as we help them address their needs, whether they are chronic, such as a preexisting condition, or acute, such as situational anxiety and depression or food insecurity.
Amerigroup’s response also includes partnering with the community to support coronavirus-related efforts. Our associates have stepped up in various ways to help those in need. In some cases, that’s meant providing meals to health care workers; in others, it’s engaging in “virtual volunteering” such as online teaching and telephone outreach to seniors or people sheltering in isolation. We were also pleased to deliver much-needed personal protective equipment to front-line providers in our city.
But as we work to address today’s needs, we remain mindful of our commitment to create a simpler, more affordable and more effective health care experience for those who count on us.
We are all learning much from this pandemic — clinically, socially and personally. Across many sectors, there is a heightened appreciation for the social determinants of health, and how communities of color and low-income residents are disproportionately affected — issues of particular relevance for Medicaid. As we adapt to this rapidly evolving situation, many of us are finding ways to be more agile in our approach to problem-solving. And we are learning about innovative ways to support our talented DC health care providers as they safely deliver care to those who need it through programs such as telehealth, while also improving access and health equity.
In this new environment, Amerigroup is doing our part to help DC and its residents emerge from this pandemic even stronger. Most recently, we announced a partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to work on a “You Are Not Alone” awareness campaign. In conjunction with Mental Health Month during May, this partnership will focus on the power of personal connection. We know that during these difficult times, many people in our communities are struggling with the consequences of physical distancing, and this program is designed to help address effects such as social isolation, depression and anxiety. We have also partnered with the Psych Hub online learning platform and the Aunt Bertha social care network, which links users to a wide range of low- or no-cost social services.
We are honored to provide access to care for thousands of our neighbors, and during this season of adversity, our commitment to provide them our very best is unwavering. Working together, we can — and will — meet the needs of our communities.
Linda Elam, a Ward 5 resident, is president of the Amerigroup DC Medicaid plan.
About commentaries
The DC Line welcomes commentaries representing various viewpoints on local issues of concern, but the opinions expressed do not represent those of The DC Line. Submissions of up to 850 words may be sent to editor Chris Kain at chriskain@thedcline.org.
Comments are closed.