Woonsocket resident devotes her energy to working with Medicaid and Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries
July 24, 2017 (Smithfield) – Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (Neighborhood) today announced that Tanairi Garcia, a Community Outreach Worker with the non-profit health insurance company, has earned national recognition from the Association of Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP). Tanairi earned an “Honorable Mention” as part of ACAP’s 2017 “Making a Difference” Award program. She was nominated for the award by Neighborhood’s President and CEO, Peter Marino.
“We are so proud of Tanairi, and so happy to see her dedication recognized,” Marino said. “The compassion that she and her co-workers demonstrate to our members is what sets Neighborhood apart. People can get their health insurance coverage from any number of places. But Tanairi understands that health care is personal, and she works every day to build that personal connection with our members.”
Tanairi works with Neighborhood’s Health@Home program, which focuses on the plan’s most at-risk and medically fragile members. These are people with complex, multi-chronic, disabling conditions for whom routine, clinic-based care is not an option. All of Neighborhood’s Health@Home members have Medicaid benefits; some are so-called “duals” who are covered by both Medicaid and Medicare. Neighborhood meets these members’ needs by sending professionals like Tanairi into their homes where they can address even the most pressing concerns. As a matter of fact, Tanairi was the first person hired to launch Health@Home in 2014.
“Tanairi works on a team full of dedicated professionals, but her supervisors say she stands out as an unsung hero and an invaluable resource for Neighborhood’s members,” Marino continued. “She’s just tenacious. She’s gone to a member’s hospital bedside to follow-up on a care plan if she has to. She never gives up on our members.”
“There are so many pieces that need to be in place to help our members be well, and Tanairi definitely sees that bigger picture,” said Dr. Francisco “Paco” Trilla, Neighborhood’s Chief Medical Officer. “Many of our members also have mental health needs, they may be struggling with addiction, and they might have trouble with everything from getting a ride to the doctor’s office to paying last month’s heating bill. Tanairi knows how to help connect people with the resources they need to thrive.”
ACAP initiated its Making A Difference Award to showcase the core principles that define the country’s “safety net” health plans: advocacy, care, and access.
“Employees at ACAP’s member plans wake up every morning and work to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their members,” said Margaret A. Murray, ACAP’s Chief Executive Officer. “Tanairi exemplifies the best that ACAP plan staff has to offer. We are excited to recognize the difference she makes.”