Podcast Summary: Driving Community Impact Through Medicaid Innovation at UPMC
Podcast: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Host: Jacob Emerson
Guest: Brendan Harris, Medicaid President at UPMC Health Plan
Date: September 14, 2025
Overview
This episode features an in-depth conversation with Brendan Harris, Medicaid President at UPMC Health Plan, exploring innovative approaches UPMC is taking to drive community impact through Medicaid. The discussion centers on leveraging workforce development and neighborhood-based social interventions to address social determinants of health (SDOH) and support the broader community. Highlights include the Pathways to Work program, newly launched Neighborhood Centers, and UPMC's philosophy around meeting members where they are.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Brendan Harris' Background and Role at UPMC
- Brendan’s trajectory: Nearly 8 years at UPMC after 12 years at the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, with wide-ranging experience in Medicaid and managed long-term services (00:35).
- Current oversight: Manages UPMC’s Medicaid portfolio, covering MLTSS, physical health Medicaid plans, CHIP, and the Center for Social Impact, which focuses on community health and addressing SDOH.
Pathways to Work Program: Connecting Medicaid to Employment
Program Genesis and Rationale
- Sparked by UPMC’s need for workforce and the recognition of barriers many Medicaid recipients face in accessing job opportunities (02:30).
- Partnerships with Workforce Investment Boards created a new route for Medicaid members to transition into sustainable employment within UPMC.
Impact and Growth
- Over 10,000 Medicaid members have moved into UPMC workforce roles since inception, with 200 hires per month (04:35).
- Expansion from Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) into Erie and Central Pennsylvania, with consistent success.
Program Details and Community Benefit
- Positions offered pay above minimum wage and include benefits such as tuition reimbursement.
- Success stories include participants going on to medical and nursing schools.
- "It seems like we're hurting ourselves, but in the end we're giving these individuals skills and jobs...and then getting them into family and life sustaining jobs here at UPMC." – Brendan Harris (05:38).
Addressing Barriers
- Focus on removing employment barriers for Medicaid recipients, promoting self-sufficiency, and contributing to community well-being and local economic vitality.
- Transition of members from Medicaid to commercial insurance offers expanded health benefits.
UPMC Neighborhood Centers: Meeting Communities Where They Are
Origin and Philosophy
- Centers in Pittsburgh’s East End and in Erie, with a model that adapts to each community’s needs (09:19).
- Approach focuses on collaborative platform-building rather than a top-down model. “The community knows what they need...We really wanted to flip that on its head a little bit.” – Brendan Harris (11:06).
Services and Partnerships
- Offer telehealth access, health navigation support, food assistance, benefits sign-up, and space for community groups.
- Over 200 community organizations have utilized the Pittsburgh center (12:25).
- In Erie, collaborating with Second Harvest to address food deserts; provides healthy food access and street medicine, plus services tailored to local needs.
Tangible Impact
- Harris shares personal anecdotes, e.g., directly helping visitors secure medical and dental appointments at the Erie center (14:40).
- Centers also support prenatal education and caregiver support, fostering a holistic health environment.
UPMC’s Guiding Values and Broader Impact
- Community embeddedness: “Community is in our DNA…we’re embedded in these communities…we see the impact that we have in those communities.” – Brendan Harris (07:39).
- UPMC’s nonprofit status drives the commitment to reinvest in and strengthen communities.
Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments
- On impact of Pathways to Work:
“We really just crossed an incredible threshold with over 10,000 individuals have left our Medicaid program and joined UPMC’s workforce…”
— Brendan Harris (04:25) - On community-centered innovation:
"We wanted to flip that on its head a little bit, because the community knows what they need. They know what they're seeing day in and day out..."
— Brendan Harris (11:06) - On leadership philosophy:
"It's one thing to be a leader, it's another thing to really go out and listen to those communities, really spend the time and the energy with them."
— Brendan Harris (17:27)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:35 – Brendan Harris introduces his experience and responsibilities
- 02:30 – History and motivation behind Pathways to Work
- 04:25 – Outcomes: 10,000 placed, 200 hires/month
- 07:39 – Core values behind UPMC’s focus on community
- 09:19 – Neighborhood Centers launch and philosophy
- 12:25 – Community organization participation numbers
- 14:40 – Anecdote: immediate member support at Erie center
- 17:27 – Leadership advice: the importance of direct community engagement
Final Reflections & Advice to Health Plan Leaders
- Harris urges leaders to consistently listen to and learn from the communities served:
"You can't forget about it. It's one thing to be a leader, it's another thing to really go out and listen to those communities...I learned so much from talking to the people that are enrolled with us..." (17:27).
Conclusion
Brendan Harris offered a compelling look at how UPMC Health Plan leverages its unique position and resources to positively impact Medicaid members through innovative employment programs and neighborhood-based support. The conversation underscored that genuinely responsive, community-driven healthcare is possible through strategic partnerships, flexible models, and a mission-driven approach that “meets people where they are.”