Field Account Managers: Serving as trusted advisors and advocates for employees

Chris: I work primarily with brokers to help them understand the products and services available to their clients. There are a lot of nuances within health care plans, so, in my role, I aim to train brokers on resources like open enrollment materials or new benefit offerings and arm them with enough knowledge to accurately relay that to members.

Genesis: When I started at UnitedHealthcare, I was an intern supporting Sales Account Executives in the New York City metropolitan area. I’m fluent in English and Spanish, so, although I work closely with brokers and human resource groups, I really saw this as an opportunity to work directly with Spanish-only speaking members in my book of business and bridge that gap in understanding the U.S. health care system and the benefits that are available to them. I see myself as a key liaison between our customers, their employees and our dedicated client service managers (DCSMs).

Christian: I work with smaller to midsize businesses, but my role is also very much focused on supporting and educating brokers, employers and members about their health plans. I connect brokers and employers to the right UnitedHealthcare contacts, stepping in to escalate claim issues when they arise and helping members navigate what can be a messy system sometimes.

Danielle: I work primarily with the midsize businesses, and I have been doing a lot of what I call “wellness checks” lately. Those include checking in on employer customers via phone or email. Those brief check-ins sometimes lead to a bigger conversation about barriers to care that their employees may be experiencing. The most common are general access questions, wanting more clarity on a certain benefit or help with a pharmacy or claim issue. I also regularly plan and manage engagement events with my broker and employer contacts, such as educational meetings for staff and employees. But day-to-day priorities can change depending on the time of year, in particular during open enrollment.

Darci: I work very closely with the Strategic Account Executive who is aligned with my current book of business. Together, we interact with brokers and employee groups on a daily basis, which allows us to dig into details and really get to know the people we support. I also help break down product or service information they may receive directly from UnitedHealthcare that they may not understand. My role is a lot about education and providing information in a way brokers and employers can understand and share with their employees.

Genesis: During open enrollment, I’m focused on supporting members and helping them understand what’s available to them and how to use our different tools, especially those that are digital like the UnitedHealthcare app and myuhc.com. For instance, one of my newer clients is a private school. They had been with their previous insurer for over a decade and most of the teachers and staff were nervous about migrating to a new plan. So, I set up regular calls and visits with them to understand their plan education needs. Sometimes, this time would be spent explaining deductibles, coinsurance or out-of-pocket deductibles. And then sometimes, it was introducing them to the UnitedHealthcare app and teaching them how to sign in on their phones.

Darci: I’ve been a FAM for my entire 15-year career at UnitedHealthcare, and I understand how important it is to build trusted relationships. One way I do that is by connecting with my employer customers at various touchpoints throughout the year. When it comes to renewal and open enrollment discussions, I partner with our Strategic Account Executive and Health Analytics Consultants to pull together claims data that can inform brokers and employers about the types of benefits and program support their employee populations may need. This can provide a lot of value when it comes to health plan decisions. Or, if mental health is a priority, we can highlight our robust set of behavioral health offerings that can enhance that employer’s health plan. Additionally, if employees are engaging in and utilizing wellness benefits, we can look to expand those. For example, there is a lot of interest this year in the new UnitedHealthcare Rewards program which brings together different wellness programs, so I’m sure that will factor heavily into my open enrollment presentations.

Christian: There was a member that had just transferred over to UnitedHealthcare. They were going through the prior authorization process for a prescription that was an injection and in very low demand. They had been going in circles within the system, and emotions were high as it was for their dependent. The broker contacted me to explain that the family was really struggling, so I picked up the phone and called the member directly to reassure them that we were working with the provider and that we would do whatever we could to make sure their child got the medication they needed, despite it being a nationwide shortage of that injection. Yet, shortly after that, we were able to get the medication into their hands and resolve the issue. Those are the stories that make my job rewarding.

Danielle: I have an employer customer based in my hometown. When they came on as new business, I was excited to partner with the Account Executive, because this employer was a member of my own community. During last year’s open enrollment, I helped this customer promote a wellness program it was rolling out to its employees, which is now part of UHC Rewards. I then followed up with them regularly throughout the year to make sure their employees were engaged in the program. The members I supported really enjoyed getting financial incentives for meeting goals and ended up with the most earned dollars in their market. They are now in their third year with us. It goes to show you the importance of the UnitedHealthcare model of making local FAMs available to brokers, employers and employees.

Genesis: A lot of my employer customers manage warehouses, and, during the pandemic, it was more difficult to engage their employees because much of the office staff went virtual, as did I. My job was to make sure we were still getting information and support to those warehouse workers, many whom didn’t speak English. So, I created Brainsharks, or training modules and videos, in English and Spanish and linked to them via QR codes on the company website or within fliers I printed and made available to those who were in-person. This became a very popular way for employees to get the information they needed during the isolation of COVID-19. It was another way to help keep them connected and engaged in their health plan.