Social Responsibility Report
Values in Action
Letter From the CEO
At Amerigroup, social responsibility is not just a part of our business –
it is our business. We are committed to ensuring every business decision
we make improves the health and well-being of our members, our
associates, the communities we serve and our planet. Our work helps
people live healthier and more independent lives.
We invested in a diverse, culturally competent workforce, 5,600 strong,
that solves problems and drives innovation to improve health care.
Connecting our social responsibility with our business charter – our
Company’s heart and mind – Amerigroup employees put our values
into action by donating more than 20,000 hours in service to their
communities last year. These combined efforts were recognized when
Amerigroup was named a 2011 Best Place to Work in five states.
James G. Carlson
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
As our employees connect members to the right source of care at
the right time, our commitment to innovation in health care delivery goes beyond call centers and claims
payments. It is on the ground in places like Wise County, Va., where dozens of Amerigroup employees
volunteered to help provide free medical services to thousands of uninsured and underinsured Americans.
It is in the homes of members, where we reunite families with loved ones by providing them with what they
need to live independently, rather than in an institution. It is at the doctor’s office, where health professionals
become medical homes delivering immediate care that keeps children with asthma out of the hospital.
It is about living our mission each day by providing real solutions to the people who need it most by making the
health care system work better.
While the recession forced curbs in investment, for us it reaffirmed the need for solutions. Many of our states
continue to face revenue shortfalls and increased needs. Through investment in promising practices – especially
community-based long-term care – we help the health system work better by putting people first. In fact, we
have helped move hundreds of members back into their communities, improving quality of life and providing
savings to taxpayers.
With the nation’s health challenges before us, our mission – doing well by doing good – will continue to define us.
James G. Carlson
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Amerigroup
“In the United States, more than 133 million
people, nearly half of the population, live
with a chronic condition.”1
Commitment to Quality Care —
Chronic Disease and Prevention
Chronic diseases – such as heart disease,
stroke, cancer and diabetes – are among
the most prevalent, costly and preventable
of all health problems. Medicaid spending
has grown rapidly in recent years, and it
has become increasingly important to help
inform state decisions on investments in
chronic disease prevention and disease
management programs. With its unique
focus on the Medicaid population,
Amerigroup has experience and a unique
perspective on disease management and
awareness best practices.
Achieving gains in health outcomes require
a member‐centric and integrated approach
to care coordination. Amerigroup has
developed a quality and results‐oriented
Disease Management (DM) program that
has been refined over time to achieve the
best outcomes for members.
The goals of the our disease management
program are to improve our members’
understanding of their conditions, provide
self-management education and opportunities
for patient-centered care, reduce acute
episodes, and improve overall quality of life.
Caring for
Kidneys Campaign
Our DM services include programs for the
most prevalent chronic conditions among our
members, including asthma, coronary artery
disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes,
HIV and AIDS, depression, and schizophrenia.
The key differentiating feature of our approach
to chronic condition management is our
focus on the individual. Members often
must make significant changes to their
lifestyles and daily living behaviors to achieve
sustainable progress in health outcomes
related to chronic conditions. Amerigroup
promotes optimal outcomes by assessing
each member’s readiness to change at
the outset and applying motivational
interviewing techniques to engage each
person by exploring and resolving any
barriers to making those lifestyle changes.
This highly personalized approach enables
Amerigroup to engage members at the
highest level and support them in staying
motivated to continue participation and
achieve their health care goals.
Prevalence of Key Chronic Diseases in the United States 2011
High Blood Pressure
30%
High Cholesterol
26.2%
Depression
17.2%
Asthma
11.7%
Diabetes
10.9%
Cancer
Heart Aack
7.1%
4.2%
Obesity*
26.1%
Source: Gallup-Healthways Well-being Index *Percentage obese is based on self-reported height and weight
1. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Partnership for Solutions Chronic Conditions: Making the Case for Ongoing Care, 2004, http://www.rwjf.org/programareas/
resources/product.jsp?id=14685&pid=1142&gsa=pa1142 (accessed April 13, 2012).
Recently, the Amerigroup
Foundation partnered
with the National Kidney
Foundation – an organization
for which Amerigroup Chairman
and CEO Jim Carlson volunteers
as a member of the board of
directors. Amerigroup provided
a two-year commitment of
$125,000 to help increase the
awareness, prevention and
treatment of chronic kidney
disease, and is leading the
effort to raise millions more
by asking other managed care
organizations to join the
effort. Amerigroup associates
have organized an annual
charity golf tournament to
raise an additional $70,000
in support of the National
Kidney Foundation.
Amerigroup hopes that by
investing in and partnering
with the National Kidney
Foundation, we can help
identify high-risk patients
early and prevent the disease
from progressing to a stage
where dialysis or organ
transplant are the only
options for survival.
Respect for People —
Our Membership
On behalf of our members and associates,
we create and maintain an inclusive, respectful
and equitable environment through effective
leadership, policies and practices. Our Company
statement of diversity states that managing
diversity is the key to our competitive edge.
Did You Know?
pass an exam at the end of the course, as
well as complete annual refresher training
that touches on cultural sensitivity.
These training efforts help ensure our
employees understand that delivering
services to people of all cultures, races,
We are committed to enhancing our workforce
ethnic backgrounds, abilities and religions
diversity by focusing on hiring people with
must occur in a manner that respects and
disabilities and encouraging competitive
preserves the dignity of each member. Our
employment for all people. In committing
training
curriculum includes definitions,
Diversity
Associates
Employed competency,
at Amerigroup
to these practices, we advance our under- Minority
benefits
of cultural
government
National Average
standing of our members’ needs, ensure
regulations, values, language resources and
our workforce represents and reflects our
variations in social comfort factors.
membership, and retain high-performing
Equipped with a workforce that understands
professionals who bring innovative products
our members’ needs, we employ practices
and services to the marketplace.
%
%
30members
55.7they
that meet our
where
are –
All employees must complete cultural
focusing on individual choice and engagement
competency training when hired and must
throughout the care coordination practice.
Diversity
Minority Associates Employed at Amerigroup
Minority Managers Employed at Amerigroup
National Average
National Average
30
%
55.7
%
Minority Managers Employed at Amerigroup
National Average
15%
35.8%
15%
35.8%
40 percent
Percent of the U.S. labor force
that are women
34.1 percent
Percent the U.S. labor force
that are minorities
78 percent
Percent of Amerigroup
associates are women
56 percent
Percent of all associates are
minorities
Sources: United States Department of Labor,
“Women in the Labor Force in 2010”;
Amerigroup Internal Data, as of Sept. 30, 2012.
“The National Advisory Board has helped us better
understand the possibilities of living independently
and how that impacts our members and their families.”
— John Littel, executive vice president of External Relations and Amerigroup Foundation chair
National Advisory Board on Improving Health Care Services for
Seniors and People with Disabilities
In 2007, Amerigroup developed a first for the health care industry: a National Advisory
Board (NAB) focused solely on meeting the needs of seniors and people with disabilities –
a significant population within our membership. Convened by Lex Frieden, who was
instrumental in conceiving and drafting the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, the NAB is comprised of culturally diverse community advocates, health care experts
and academics. They represent millions of Americans with disabilities and seniors and their
family members, who have struggled with the complexities of our fragmented health care
system. Individually and collectively, they have worked to overcome the many hurdles to
obtain the services needed to live successfully in our communities – hurdles such as the lack
of coordination between acute and long-term services and supports, antiquated systems
and policies, and lack of infrastructure development for long-term services.
32%
Percent
of adults
with
Percent
of adults
with
atat
least
least
basic
acons
oneone
basic
actions
difficulty or
or complex
difficulty
complex
acvity
limitaon
activity limitation (2009)
(2009)
Source: Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults:
National Health Interview Survey, 2010.
Amerigroup Hosts First Annual Advocacy Meeting
In a first for the managed care industry – Amerigroup hosted a meeting in Virginia Beach,
Va., for advocates from around the country. During this meeting – planned by Senior Vice
President of Government Relations Meredith Delk and Vice President of Advocacy Merrill
Friedman – Amerigroup CEO Jim Carlson and key Amerigroup leaders had the opportunity to
meet with our partners and leaders in the disability community, along with several members
of the NAB. For two days, attendees engaged in dialogue about priority issues relating to
long-term services and supports, including how to develop a road map for managed care
implementation, the NAB’s priorities for 2012, standards and quality outcomes, and the next
steps we – as a Company – and advocates must take to further ensure that Medicaid works
for people with disabilities.
Prevalence of physical
disabilities in adults
16.2%
15.6%
9.4%
7.3%
Hearing Disability
Vision Disability
Walking Disability
Any Physical
Funconing
Disability
John Littel speaks during the Amerigroup Disability Mentoring Day.
Source: Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults:
National Health Interview Survey, 2010.
Jim Carlson volunteers at the
Remote Area Medical clinic in Wise, Va.
Good Citizenship
When Amerigroup met with health care
advocates and providers in southwest
Virginia and learned about thousands of
people without regular access to preventive
health care, we knew we could help. We
learned the annual, free care event in the
region, known as the Remote Area Medical
(RAM) expedition, held for 12 years, was in
jeopardy in 2011 because of funding challenges.
CEO Jim Carlson committed us to help,
not only with contributions of funds and
equipment, but with people on the ground.
An estimated 2,488 people attended the
event for the opportunity to get medical,
dental and vision treatment. More than
RAM by the
Numbers
1,400 volunteers, including 28 associates
from Amerigroup, provided hands-on
assistance. For many participants, this was
their only chance all year to see a doctor,
and some waited in line as long as 30 hours
for their chance to receive care.
This annual event and our ongoing partnerships in southwest Virginia will improve
health care outcomes for the population
served, stimulate further public awareness
of the need to reorganize health care,
and further establish Amerigroup as an
organization ready and able to partner with
local organizations to meet the health care
needs of their populations.
$1.9 million
The value of free care provided
$140,000
Provided in financial assistance
to four community organizations
in rural southwest Virginia
4,000
The number of tote bags
Amerigroup provided filled
with day-of supplies, including
sunscreen and bottled water
2,700
Patients seen
1,633
Over-the-counter medications
collected and donated by
associates
“We talk a lot about the mission of the Company and
how important it is for us to identify with the people we
serve. Hearing some of these stories firsthand allows
us to better connect our hearts with our minds.”
— Jim Carlson, Amerigroup chairman, president and CEO
Amerigroup Community Efforts
This past year, the Amerigroup Community
Volunteers program donated 20,494 hours of
volunteer service to various volunteer initiatives
across the country. Examples of Company
initiatives included support for:
Moms and Babies
March of Dimes
Each year, Amerigroup associates join the March
of Dimes March for Babies walk in an effort
to prevent birth defects, premature birth and
infant mortality and improve the health of
moms and babies everywhere. Thousands of
corporate and family-based teams rallied at
more than 900 walk sites around the country
to celebrate their efforts on behalf of moms
and babies. In 2011, the Amerigroup team
raised a total of more than $119,000.
CenteringPregnancy
The Amerigroup Foundation recently provided
a grant of $125,000 to the Centering Healthcare
Institute to implement three CenteringPregnancy
group care model pilot programs. The research
will produce a study publication highlighting
the model’s effectiveness in reducing preterm
birth rates. The CenteringPregnancy model changes
routine prenatal care, bringing women out of the
examination room and into a group care setting.
The model incorporates the three design elements
of prenatal care – risk assessment, education
and support – into one entity.
From Devastation, Hope Is Born
A couple whose home was badly damaged in a flood provides just one
example of the lives touched by Amerigroup Disaster Response Team
efforts in Livingston, Ky. In addition to damage to their home, the family
was dealing with many health issues – from the husband’s battle with
bone cancer and emphysema to a granddaughter’s difficult pregnancy.
The couple turned to everyone they could think of for help and was
repeatedly turned away. Disheartened and defeated, they were ready
to walk away from their family home, convinced it was damaged beyond
repair. The Amerigroup team was determined to help. They quickly
went to work cleaning up debris and later reassured the family their
home could be saved. The couple was grateful they would soon
return home to share new memories with their great grandson,
who was born that day.
“The steadfast commitment and compassion from our employees
to help our neighbors in need is truly remarkable,” said John Littel,
Amerigroup executive vice president of External Relations. “We strongly
believe in our core value, to offer real solutions to people and
communities that need it the most.”
Good Citizenship
Fostering Independent Living
Our approach to independent living provides
a system of assessment, care planning and
service coordination that aims to restore
or retain an individual’s level of function by
empowering individuals to choose where
and how they receive services.
Recently, the Amerigroup Foundation
provided Habitat for Humanity a two-year
grant of $175,000 to help improve housing,
employment and recreation for people. The
grant will assist in the construction of homes
built to universal design standards. Universal
design exceeds minimum specifications for
accessible design and results in homes that
are usable by and marketable to almost
everyone. Universal homes avoid use of
special assistive technology devices and,
instead, incorporate design features that
are easily usable and commonly available,
including lever door handles, extra-wide
doorways and halls, and no-step entrances.
Such design features make housing accessible
for people with disabilities and for individuals
wishing to age at home.
Health and Wellness
At the heart of the Amerigroup care coordination
strategy is a focus on preventive education.
As part of our commitment to health and
wellness, Amerigroup initiated a partnership
with a Virginia Beach, Va., elementary school.
Amerigroup Community Volunteers rolled
up their shirtsleeves and worked with students
to plant a vegetable garden at the school.
Throughout the year, Amerigroup associates
will work with Bettie F. Williams Elementary
School students to provide integrated,
holistic garden-related classroom lessons
and activities for teaching nutrition, math,
science and language arts. The project is
made possible through guidance from the
American Heart Association.
Last year, the
Amerigroup
Foundation, the
philanthropic arm of
Amerigroup Corporation,
helped provide access
to health care,
encouraged safe
and healthy children
and families, and
promoted community
improvement and
healthy neighborhoods
through 450 gifts
totaling more than
$2.1 million to more
than 668 local
nonprofit community
organizations across
the country.
In 2011, the Amerigroup Foundation invested nearly
$750,000 in grants to improve health outcomes and access
to quality care for underserved communities, including a
$20,000 grant to the Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth.
2.1M
2.1M
Access to Care
Amerigroup is committed to supporting
health services for the uninsured and
underinsured. In 2011, the Amerigroup
Foundation invested nearly $750,000 in
grants to improve health outcomes and
access to quality care for underserved
communities, including a $20,000 grant
to the Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth
(GPT). The Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth
is working to ensure that all rural Georgians
are able to access specialty care within
30 miles of their homes. Telemedicine
progressively closes gaps and improves
member care quality by providing better
access to health care specialists and providers,
especially for those living in rural areas. An
innovative solution, telemedicine enables
members to receive the care they need
in a timely fashion, regardless of their
geographic barriers to access.
1.8M
1.2M
Amerigroup and the Georgia
Partnership for TeleHealth
by the Numbers
1.1M
40,000
Number of clinical encounters within the
GPT network in 2011
$20,000
Amount donated by the Amerigroup
Foundation to the GPT to improve access
to quality care for individuals in rural and
underserved areas of Georgia
240+
The number of rural and specialty sites
within the GPT network
175
Women and Children
578k
Educaon and
Scholarships
Access to Health Care
Seniors and
People With Disabilies
The number of GPT specialists providing
care to those accessing the network
Health Research
and Educaon
Sources: Amerigroup internal data and Georgia Partnership for
TeleHealth presentation (provided April 2012).
Diversity and Eliminaon
of Health Care Disparies
$13.9 Million in Charitable Contributions 2001–11
“Sustainability is not just the government’s responsibility.
It’s not just big businesses’ responsibility. It’s everyone’s
responsibility. We’re all in this together.”
— Con Healy, senior vice president of Corporate Services Administration
Accountability —
Amerigroup Commitment to Sustainability
Despite not being a large producer of material waste, Amerigroup
is committed to taking steps to minimize our environmental
burden. This past year, we ranked No. 46 on the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) list of the largest Fortune 500 green
power purchasers.
By the Numbers
o
Percent of green power for the National Support
Center purchased by Amerigroup, also registered
with the Environmental Protection Agency as a
green energy partner
Important milestones achieved in 2011 include:
o Recycling more than 50 percent of all materials that leave
our National Call Center
o Beginning a composting program that is scheduled to
compost more than 4,000 pounds of food waste per year
4,000
P ounds of compost material processed annually at
o
our National Support Center in Virginia Beach, Va.
o Retrofitting our National Support Center with energy efficient
lighting, LED elevator lighting, LED accent lighting and
occupancy sensors in offices. The projected energy reduction
for the center is more than 5 percent, which is enough to
power 30 homes for one year
Amerigroup is an EPA Green Power Partner. We have purchased
enough Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to offset 100 percent
of our National Support Center electrical usage.
The Green Power Partnership works with a wide variety of leading
organizations – from Fortune 500 companies to local, state and
federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and
universities. Organizations can meet EPA purchase requirements
using any combination of three different product options: RECs,
on-site generation and utility green power products. Today,
1,128 of our associates work from home, saving more than
5 million miles driven per year, which is equivalent to taking
435 passenger cars off the road.
Using our influence with others, we are continuing ongoing
dialogue with key suppliers about sustainability issues. Additionally,
each year, we host an internal Eco Fair, partnering with local,
environmentally friendly vendors to provide associates with
ways to reduce consumption at work and at home.
100 percent
o
1,128
Number of Amerigroup associates currently
participating in a telework program to reduce
the carbon footprint associated with commuting
Awards and Honors
Voted Best Place to Work in Texas, New York, Nevada, New Jersey and Virginia
Ranked No. 46 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Fortune 500 list
of the largest green power purchasers
Rivel Research 5.0 award for Overall Effectiveness of Investor Relations and
Management Access
March of Dimes Top Fundraising Team in the commonwealth of Virginia
Eggleston Gold Merit Award – for demonstrating unique and innovative ways
to promote volunteer opportunities
Disability Friendly Business certification by the National Certification
and Training Center in nine of our health plans – Florida, Georgia, Maryland,
New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia – and our corporate offices
Our Mission
Provide Real Solutions for members who need a little help by making the health
care system work better while keeping it more affordable for taxpayers
Our Vision
We will be a different kind of health insurance company – a company that does well
by doing good.
Our Values
o Compassion – We understand the importance of acting with empathy and
developing meaningful relationships that will positively influence our
associates and members’ lives.
o Quality – We provide outstanding products, quality and unsurpassed service
that, together, deliver premium value to our stakeholders.
o Integrity – We uphold the highest standards in all our actions.
o Teamwork – We work together, across boundaries and in partnership, to meet
the needs of our customers and to help the Company achieve its goals.
o Respect for People – We value our associates and their diversity, encourage
their development and reward their performance.
o Good Citizenship – We seek to find ways in which to engage and support
the communities in which we live and work, through volunteerism, political
involvement and leading by example.
o Personal Accountability – We keep our commitments to one another and to
those we serve through accepting ownership for the quality of the work we
produce. We have a strong desire to win in the marketplace and in every aspect
of our business, and each associate accepts personal responsibility for achieving
organizational success.
www.amerigroup.com