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Photo by Frank Aymami
Administrative assistant Dianne Smith serves turkey to registered nurse Ann Higgins, far right, and network development employee Nadine Hampton-Brown for the Peoples Health Thanksgiving lunch.
F O U R - T I M E H O N O R E E
Peoples Health
Staff members at Peoples Health, a Medicare
Advantage-plan administrator for individuals
65 and older, say personal contact with
patients and the chance to work on their behalf
is the best part of their jobs.
Gabe Vanover, an authorizations assistant at
the firm’s Metairie headquarters, says he likes
“mingling with our plan members at Peoples
Health Game Day at Zephyr Field. Thousands
of members attend, and we meet and talk with
them about the game and how they’re feeling.”
The company has held the annual event,
featuring food and live music, for more than 10
years.
Vanover also appreciates access to discounted
and free tickets to New Orleans Saints and
Hornets games that come from Peoples corporate
sponsorship of the those teams.
“And I feel good when I go to a game at the
Superdome and see a big Peoples Health sign,”
Vanover said.
The company also sponsors the New
Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and
Louisiana State University sports and gives
employees tickets to those events. And being a
health-minded company, Peoples Health offers
a Weight Watchers at Work program and onsite
gym for its employees.
“Like other good companies, we have excellent
benefits and beautiful facilities at our several
locations. But I believe what’s really meaningful
for our employees is the hands-on,
hands-touch work we do with the elderly,” said
Warren Murrell, chief operating officer.
Health care can be bewildering for any age
group, he said, and the older individuals the
Peoples staff assists might be underserved
otherwise.
“Our staffers do home assessments to see
that no hazards are present — like slippery carpets
or objects on the floor. And they accompany
members to the doctor’s office.”
More than 500 employees meet quarterly at
the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner for a company
update, and several plan members are
introduced at that event, Murrell said.
In one of many activities involving employees
and members, Peoples held a hearthealthy
cooking contest last winter, where
the winning recipes were healthy jambalaya
from an employee and a shrimp and corn stew
with brown rice from a plan member. Student
Nature of business: Medicare plans
Where based: Metairie
Employees: 525
Average starting salary: $49,000
Median salary: $55,000
Average employment time: eight years
Benefits: health care plan with 85 percent coverage, dental,
vision and prescription plans, 401(k) with 5 percent match,
unmarried partner benefits, paid maternity and paternity leave, day
care options, relocation assistance, telecommuting, flexible hours,
job sharing, employee recognition program, fitness program
Wait time for benefits: 30 days
Paid days off: up to 37
Web site: www.peopleshealth.com
chefs at Cafe Reconcile in Central City prepared
the dishes.
Elizabeth Vail, a registered nurse at Peoples
Health, said she likes the company so much
that when she left for another job in mid-2008
after moving from Gretna to the North Shore,
she returned to her old position in six weeks.
“Many people didn’t realize I’d left and just
assumed I was on vacation. But I really missed
my colleagues, the members and our friendly
office,” she said.
“My job is definitely worth the extra commute
that I have now,” Vail said. “I’ve worked in
a hospital environment before but am much
happier here. We have a wonderful CEO, Carol
Solomon. We’re in the benefits business, and
she sees to it that we employees also get the
best possible benefits.”•
— Susan Buchanan
December 14, 2009 31