Full-Time

Community Connections Representative

Excellus BCBS

Excellus BCBS

Nonprofit health insurance provider

Compensation Overview

$19.22 - $33.03/hr

Binghamton, NY, USA

In Person

Travel across the Health Plan service region is required for meetings and training.

Associate's

Category
Customer Experience & Support (1)
Required Skills
Word/Pages/Docs
Excel/Numbers/Sheets
Requirements
  • A high school diploma or GED is required.
  • A minimum of two years of social services, community outreach, or education experience is required.
  • Level II requires a minimum of two years of experience working in the Community Connections Representative role.
  • Marketplace Facilitated Enroller certification is required for Level II and must be maintained through continuing education or training.
  • Candidates must demonstrate problem-solving, interpersonal, and communication skills.
  • Candidates must have prior experience and working knowledge of Microsoft Suite, including Excel and Word.
  • Level II candidates must demonstrate attention to detail, leadership skills, and knowledge and experience of the healthcare industry and health plan business.
  • Candidates must be able to work in a home office for continuous periods for business continuity.
  • Candidates must be able to travel across the Health Plan service region for meetings and training as needed.
  • Candidates must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull 15 pounds or less.
  • Candidates must perform reaching, crouching, stooping, and kneeling.
  • Candidates must have a valid Class D license and be able to operate a motor vehicle.
  • Candidates must be able to hear, understand, and speak clearly while using a phone, with or without a headset.
Responsibilities
  • Educate Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial members about healthcare benefits and community resources through home visits and outreach.
  • Educate and assist members with accessing care, the Case Management program, benefits, and government cell phone programs.
  • Coordinate, plan, and attend community events, including school events, health fairs, and community initiatives.
  • Inform community audiences about healthcare offerings, state regulations, and health plan products within assigned territories.
  • Complete scheduled and unscheduled home visits for noncompliance, gaps in care, community resource needs, and other high-risk issues.
  • Conduct targeted phone calls for compliance, HEDIS initiatives, and health risk assessments.
  • Collaborate with Case Management regarding high-risk member referrals.
  • Find and connect members to community social services and agencies, and enroll or refer qualified members to a health home.
  • Communicate health insurance program options, product fundamentals, benefits, and associated costs based on applicants' situations in the Marketplace.
  • Assist individuals and families with securing and providing documentation demonstrating age, residency, and income for Marketplace requirements.
  • Interpret complex instructions from the Marketplace Facilitated Enrollment Training Manual to assist applicants.
  • Assess and analyze applicant information to support insurance enrollment for families and children.
  • Present eligibility, enrollment, and available product information to community audiences.
  • Meet applicants in locations with additional Marketplace Facilitated Enrollment resource backup.
  • Manage incoming Community Connections referrals at Level II.
  • Maintain the Community Resource Guide as needed at Level II.
  • Ensure educational materials and supplies are replenished and available at Level II.
  • Maintain the in-house food pantry and ensure non-perishable items are within their use-by dates at Level II.
  • Participate in training for new hires and team refreshers at Level II.
  • Supervise interns or mentor new hires, provide first-level problem resolution, communicate organizational cultural expectations, and support onboarding and engagement at Level II.
  • Establish influential relationships in the community within the assigned territory at Level II.
  • Attend community IPA or Navigator Agency activities as instructed at Level II.
  • Represent the company at small and large community-based organization meetings as required at Level II.
  • Develop subject-matter expertise in a key focus area and develop and facilitate a workshop for the team with management at Level II.
  • Maintain member privacy in accordance with corporate privacy policies and procedures.
  • Maintain regular and reliable attendance.
  • Perform other functions as assigned by management.
Desired Qualifications
  • An associate degree is preferred.
  • Marketplace Facilitated Enroller certification is preferred for Level I.
  • The ability to organize and represent an organization at community events is preferred for Level II.

Excellus BCBS is a nonprofit health plan serving upstate New York, from Utica through Rochester, as part of the national Blue Cross Blue Shield network. It offers individual, family, Medicare, Medicaid, and employer health plans, plus virtual care, wellness programs, and Social Care Networks addressing housing, food, and transportation needs. What sets Excellus apart is pairing local, community support with a nationwide Blue provider network. The goal is to deliver affordable, accessible care that helps members and communities thrive.

Company Size

N/A

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Rochester, New York

Founded

1932

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • April 2026 awards funded 26 nonprofits, reinforcing local goodwill and referral networks.
  • August 2026 Forbes Best Midsize Employers recognition supports recruiting in a tight labor market.
  • Marti n Stallone's 2025 healthcare-services appointment strengthens provider-network and pharmacy execution.

What critics are saying

  • March 2026 operating loss hit $108 million as claims and GLP-1 costs rose.
  • July 2026 Rodriguez trial risk exposes Excellus to discrimination damages and discovery headlines.
  • Nine-point-three-million-member 2015 breach still shadows trust, compliance, and cybersecurity spending.

What makes Excellus BCBS unique

  • Excellus dominates upstate New York, pairing insurance with community grants and regional boards.
  • June 2026 pharmacy program expansion deepens member retention through drug-cost management.
  • 2026 Health Plan Overview emphasizes access, affordability, and integrated healthcare services.

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401(k) Retirement Plan

Company News

Life Health
Aug 19th, 2026
Medicare Advantage plan members seek stronger patient advocacy, care coordination.

Medicare Advantage plan members seek stronger patient advocacy, care coordination. Overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declines for second consecutive year. JD Power finds insurers deliver on operational fundamentals but struggle to build engagement and trust with Medicare Advantage members. TROY, Mich.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Against a backdrop of rising financial pressures, narrower access to provider networks and prescription drug and outpatient care cost increases, Medicare Advantage plan members are looking for trusted partners to guide them through their healthcare journeys. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study,(SM) only a select few health plans are delivering that level of partnership. Nationwide, overall member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declines 12 points (on a 1,000-point scale) this year, and fewer than half (43%) of plan members say they strongly agree their plan is a trusted partner in their health and wellness. "Healthcare has grown increasingly complex and exceedingly costly, and Medicare Advantage plans are juggling these challenging market dynamics while trying to guide their members to the best outcomes," said Meaghan Hafner, senior director of healthcare solutions at JD Power."While some stand-out performers are driving improvements in member satisfaction despite the challenges, the majority of plans are struggling to build a strong sense of patient advocacy and trust among their members." Following are some key findings of the 2026 study: * Overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans declines for second consecutive year: Overall customer satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans is 611, down 12 points from last year and down 41 points from 2024, with declines across all dimensions of the member experience. The specific study dimensions showing the largest two-year declines in member satisfaction are Helping to Save Me Time and Money (-51 points), Level of Trust (-49 points) and Product/Coverage Offerings Meet My Needs (-47 points). * High-performing plans exceed in onboarding and communication: Two key areas where the highest-performing Medicare Advantage plans stand out are in new member onboarding and effective communication. Trust attributes rise sharply when members fully understand their plan. Among new members who say they understand their coverage very well, 34% feel their insurer helps prepare them for the unexpected, and 29% feel their insurer anticipates their needs. Among new members who say they do not understand their coverage, those rates are cut nearly half to 17% and 16%, respectively. * Special needs plans deliver stronger levels of member satisfaction: Special needs plans, which are designed for people with specific severe or disabling chronic conditions, those who live in an institution or those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, deliver significantly higher overall satisfaction and trust scores, illustrating how higher-touch support models, care coordination and personalized guidance can contribute to stronger member outcomes among populations with complex healthcare needs. Study rankings. Kaiser Permanente ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in California for a third consecutive year, with a score of 665. SCAN Health Plan (656) ranks second. UnitedHealthcare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Florida, with a score of 621. Humana (620) ranks second and Freedom Health (619) ranks third. UnitedHealthcare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Georgia for a third consecutive year, with a score of 656. Aetna Medicare (628) ranks second. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Illinois for a second consecutive year, with a score of 638. UnitedHealthcare (629) ranks second. Humana ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Kentucky, with a score of 625. UnitedHealthcare (606) ranks second. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Michigan for a second consecutive year, with a score of 676. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in New York for a fourth consecutive year, with a score of 618. Healthfirst (611) ranks second. UnitedHealthcare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in North Carolina for a third consecutive year, with a score of 645. Humana (637) ranks second. Aetna Medicare ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio, with a score of 639. UPMC For Life ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Pennsylvania for a fourth consecutive year, with a score of 689. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (659) ranks second and Aetna Medicare (647) ranks third. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans Tennessee, with a score of 690. Humana (647) ranks second. Humana ranks highest in overall satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans in Texas, with a score of 641. UnitedHealthcare (628) ranks second and Aetna Medicare (624) ranks third. To view the complete visual rank charts for each region, visit: http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2026079. The U.S. Medicare Advantage Study, now in its 12th year, measures member satisfaction with Medicare Advantage plans - also known as Medicare Part C or Part D - based on eight factors (in order of importance): level of trust; able to get health services how/when I want; helping to save me time or money; product/coverage offerings meet my needs; ease of doing business; people - representatives, call center agents; resolving problems or complaints; and digital channels. The 2026 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study is based on the responses of 14,559 members of Medicare Advantage plans in 12 market-based U.S. regions: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. It was fielded from January through June 2026. About JD Power. JD Power delivers mission-critical data, analytics and intelligence that help businesses improve customer experience and operational performance with confidence and clarity. Using proprietary, comprehensive data-including millions of consumer interactions and authoritative automotive datasets-combined with advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and deep industry expertise, JD Power enables leaders to respond to market shifts, make smarter decisions and drive measurable performance improvements.

Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce
Aug 12th, 2026
John Calabrese joins Excellus BCBS Utica Regional Advisory Board.

John Calabrese joins Excellus BCBS Utica Regional Advisory Board. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has named John Calabrese of New Hartford to its Utica Regional Advisory Board. Calabrese is president and CEO of First Source Federal Credit Union. His professional career spans more than 30 years and includes leadership roles at Pfizer in the U.S. and globally, as well as Express Employment Professionals, a locally owned business he started in 2013. "As a local health plan, our mission is to help people in our communities live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care," said Tony Vitagliano, senior vice president of provider network engagement and regional president for Utica at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. "John's commitment to community, passion for service, extensive leadership experience and energy will make an immediate positive impact on our board as we work to fulfill our mission." He began his involvement with First Source Federal Credit Union as a member of its board of directors from 2014 to 2022, joined the organization's staff in September 2022 and was named president and CEO in October 2024. Calabrese earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and finance from Utica University. He has served on several other boards, including Utica University, CABVI Vision Foundation, Mohawk Valley EDGE, Human Technologies and the New York State Preferred Source Program. He has also been a member of the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors since 2015 and served as board chair from 2022 to 2023.a Born and raised in Whitesboro, Calabrese is a graduate of Notre Dame High School and Utica University. He enjoys spending time with his family in Upstate, NY and lists golf, fishing, and boating among his hobbies. PLATINUM INVESTORS

Endurance Sportswire
Jul 16th, 2026
Matata, Gebreselama win Boilermaker 15K, penultimate stop on the 2025-26 PRRO Circuit.

Matata, Gebreselama win Boilermaker 15K, penultimate stop on the 2025-26 PRRO Circuit. July 16, 2026. Gebreselama shatters women's event record at the American Classic Road Race(TM), the sixth stop on the 2025-26 PRRO Circuit; winners secured final two auto-qualifier spots to join five event male & female champions and top point scorers qualified to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2026 PRRO Championship presented by the Quad-City Times Bix 7 on July 25. UTICA, NY (July 16, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ - On a beautiful, near perfect, sunny Sunday morning on July 12, at the 49th Boilermaker 15K presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, the penultimate 2025-26 PRRO Circuit stop, Kenyan Alex Matata and Ethiopian Tsigie Gebreselama were the shining stars of the show in their race debuts with convincing wins, clocking 42 minutes, 24 seconds and 47:29, respectively, on the 9.3 mile road course. Gebreselama also shattered the women's event record by 4 seconds; previous record 47:33 set by Jesca Chelangat in 2023. Each race champion earned $7000, and overall, Boilermaker awarded $65,100 in prize money, including $14,500 in U.S. prize money. The race winners also earned eligibility to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 29th PRRO Championship hosted by the Quad-City Times Bix 7 on July 25, 2026 in Davenport, IA. In addition, Boilermaker finishers 2-10 earned points for the PRRO Circuit points system. At Boilermaker, Victor Shitsama of Kenya with his 6th place finish moved into second in the PRRO Circuit points final standings and race runners-up Kiprono Sitonik of Kenya and Melknat Wudu of Ethiopia tied for 5th place as the trio qualified to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at Bix 7. The top 5 Super Bonus qualifiers by PRRO points are: for men, Graydon Morris (USA), Victor Shitsama (KEN), Mezgebu Sime (ETH), James Mwaura (USA), Wesley Kiptoo (KEN) & Kiprono Sitonik (KEN), and for women, Everlyn Kemboi (KEN), Rachael Rudel (USA), Molly Born (USA), Fiona O'Keeffe (USA), Cynthia Limo (KEN) & Melknat Wudu (ETH). NOTE: Ties in both men's and women's standings mean six will qualify per gender. Complete point standings, including the automatic Super Bonus qualifiers, can be found HERE. In the men's race, at the 10K mark, Matata, 28, had built a 22 second lead over countryman Kiprono Sitonik, 28:21 to 28:43, and from there, he went unchallenged to the finish line with a 29 second margin of victory over Sitonik who ran 42:53. Adam Lipschitz of South Africa took third in 43:14. Reid Buchanan, 2026 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K winner and PRRO Super Bonus qualifier, finished fourth as top American in 43:38. The women's race followed a similar pattern as the men's. Gebreselama, 25, led at the 10K by 3 seconds over countrywoman Melknat Wudu, 31:39 to 31:42. The 2023 World Cross Country silver medalist continued to increase her lead all the way to the tape with a 17 second event record win, 47:29 to 47:46 for Wudu. Kenyan Priscah Cherono, 46, was third and first Master (40 & older) in 48:15. Top American was Stephanie Bruce, 42, who finished 9th and second Master (50:40). "Congratulations to Alex Matata and Tsigie Gebreselama on their dominant wins at Boilermaker and their automatic qualification to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the upcoming PRRO Championship at Bix 7," said Don Kardong, PRRO Circuit President. "Also, congratulations to the top 5 PRRO Circuit point scorers who earned Super Bonus eligibility as well." On Sunday at Boilermaker, there were 9,128 finishers in the sold-out 15K, the highest total since 2019, and 4,203 5K finishers, also sold-out. On Saturday, July 11, there were 1,700 participants in the Walk and Kids Run. Find complete results, including race prize money awarded HERE. The 2025-26 PRRO Circuit concludes at the 29th PRRO Championship presented by the Quad-City Times Bix 7 on Saturday, July 25 in Davenport, IA. The PRRO Circuit showcases world class competition at six of America's Classic Road Races(TM), the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, FL, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC, the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, WA, the Steamboat Classic 4 Mile in Peoria, IL, the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY and the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in Davenport, IA. The 2025-26 PRRO Circuit offers more than $440,000 in guaranteed prize money overall with $148,100 for U.S. athletes. The PRRO Circuit, a nationwide series of premier non-marathon road racing events, is organized and promoted by the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO), an alliance of race directors. Schedule and PRRO Super Bonus event qualifiers below: THE PRRO CIRCUIT 2025-26 SCHEDULE $50,000 in prize money WINNERS: Alex Maier*, USA, 32:02 and Vibian Chepkirui*, Kenya, 36:41 $72,000 in prize money ($23,000 U.S. prize money) plus $5000 Equalizer gender race and World, U.S. & course record bonus money WINNERS: Mohammed El Youssfi*, Morocco, 43:26 and Chloe Herbiet*, Belgium, 47:58 $80,600 in prize money ($48,600 U.S. prize money) plus performance bonuses WINNERS: Mohammed El Youssfi*, Morocco, 46:17 and Asayech Ayichew*, Ethiopia, 50:37 $81,000 in prize money ($20,000 U.S. prize money) WINNERS: Reid Buchanan*, USA, 34:30 and Kasandra Parker*, USA, 39:21 $43,200 in U.S. prize money plus 2 Mile Prime and U.S. record bonus money WINNERS: Ahmed Muhumed*, USA, 17:57 and Kasandra Parker*, USA, 20:16 $65,100 in prize money ($14,500 U.S. prize money) WINNERS: Alex Matata*, KEN, 42:24 and Tsigie Gebreselama*, ETH, 47:29 (event record) THE 29th PRRO CHAMPIONSHIP $50,000 in prize money as well as: * $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus to male or female Bix winners who are either defending PRRO Champions, have won any of the PRRO Circuit 2025-26 races or finished top 5 in the points system (Super Bonus split if both eligible male and female win) * $2500 to male or female Championship winners who have not won any races on the 2025-26 Circuit * $1500 to eligible PRRO event champions, males and females, finishing in places 2-10 *Qualified to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2026 PRRO Championship. With their 2025 PRRO Championship titles at Boilermaker, John Korir and Veronica Loleo were the first two athletes eligible to compete for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus at the 2026 PRRO Championship hosted by the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in July. In pursuit of the Super Bonus, the pair will join the winners of the 2025-26 Circuit events as well as the top 5 per gender in the PRRO Circuit points system (2-10 finishers score points at each current Circuit race; except, 2-5 finishers score at a U.S.-only Circuit race). To-date, PRRO Circuit events have produced 18 world and 24 U.S. road records, awarded more than $9.2 million in prize money and seen more than 2.9 million runners cross their finish lines. In addition, since 1996, the PRRO Championship race has paid out more than $2.2 million including $218,500 in PRRO Championship bonus money. PRRO Championship and Circuit Year The PRRO Circuit, launched in 1995, starts and finishes the Circuit Year at the same event that will also host the season-ending PRRO Championship race. The reigning titlists of the PRRO Championship, the event winners on the current Circuit and the top 5 in the PRRO points system are eligible to compete for the PRRO Super Bonus at the PRRO Championship. Visit PRRO.org for more information, including its history and past champions, as well as how to join the PRRO Circuit. Company info. PRRO Circuit View all Releases by PRRO Contact info. Follow us on. Editor's picks. July 14, 2026.

MV Health System
Apr 9th, 2026
Healthy Lifestyles Partnership Summit to bring community leaders together in Utica.

Healthy Lifestyles Partnership Summit to bring community leaders together in Utica. April 9, 2026 Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS), in partnership with The Center, Excellus Blue Cross BlueShield, NYS Division of Human Rights Hate and Bias Prevention Unit and the Mohawk Valley Partnership for Healthy Lifestyles, will host the Healthy Lifestyles Partnership Summit on Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Delta Hotels Utica, 200 Genesee Street, Utica. The summit will bring together healthcare providers, public health leaders, educators and community organizations from across the Mohawk Valley to collaborate on strategies that improve the health and quality of life for local residents. The keynote speaker is Mauvareen Beverly, MD, president of Mauvareen Beverley, MD, PLLC, Patient Engagement and Cultural Competence Specialist. She is an executive-level physician and a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) with more than twenty years of experience advocating for improving patient engagement and cultural competence for all populations, especially African American communities. Under her leadership as Deputy Executive Director of Kings County Hospital, she led her team to implement innovative strategies for improved equitable health outcomes and decreased Congestive Heart Failure readmission from 30 percent to 18.7 percent in less than two years. Participants will engage in presentations, discussions and networking opportunities focused on strengthening partnerships and advancing initiatives that support healthier lifestyles throughout the region. The event aims to foster collaboration among organizations that play a critical role in addressing community health needs. "Improving community health requires strong partnerships across many sectors," said Patricia Charvat, SVP of Strategy and Marketing at MVHS. "The Healthy Lifestyles Partnership Summit provides an opportunity for leaders to come together, share ideas and build solutions that support healthier communities across the Mohawk Valley." The summit is open to professionals and organizations interested in advancing community health initiatives and collaboration. Registration is free.

FingerLakes1.com
Dec 2nd, 2025
Excellus helps fund grassroots healthcare efforts

Excellus helps fund grassroots healthcare efforts. Six Rochester-area nonprofits are getting a boost from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield to close care gaps and make healthcare more accessible for those who need it most. The support comes through Excellus's 2025 Health Equity Innovation Awards, which fund grassroots efforts to improve health outcomes and tackle issues like food insecurity, mental health access, and chronic disease in underserved communities. These Rochester-area organizations are rolling out creative, community-focused programs with their award funding. Coordinated Care Services Inc. is providing low-income clients with welcome packages at their first counseling visits. Each kit includes essentials, self-care items, and resource referrals. Staff are also being trained in trauma-informed care as part of the pilot. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wayne County is combining fitness and nutrition for older adults. Their Wellness in Motion program helps reduce fall risk and boost overall health through education and activity. Enlace is helping people with limited English skills navigate healthcare by using wearable QR codes. The codes link to personalized health resources and telehealth guidance. Mt. Hope Family Center is removing a key barrier to mental health care - transportation. Their new program ensures low-income families can get to therapy and support sessions. Regional Health Reach Inc. is sending a nurse practitioner and therapist out to unsheltered populations in Rochester. Their mobile outreach brings mental health and preventive care straight to people on the streets. ROC the Future Alliance is teaming up with pediatricians to "prescribe" PreK enrollment during wellness visits - helping more kids get a jumpstart on education. These six are part of a larger effort. Across upstate New York, 22 organizations were selected from nearly 300 applicants. Each project was shaped by local needs assessments to address the most pressing health challenges in their area. "We support these programs because they align with our mission to help people live healthier lives," said Dr. Simone Edwards, Excellus's vice president for health equity and community investments. "By partnering with organizations that are deeply connected to their communities, we're helping to create sustainable solutions that make a meaningful difference in people's lives."