Highmark Health advances social health strategy for enhanced well-being for the people it serves

PITTSBURGH, PA (June 12, 2025) – Highmark today reaffirmed its commitment to addressing social health — a combination of removing socioeconomic barriers to healthy living and simplifying access to care — as a crucial component of its mission to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for the people it serves. As part of this commitment, Nebeyou Abebe, senior vice president of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), has been named as the organization’s lead in a newly created Social Health Center of Excellence (CoE). In this role, Abebe will lead cross-functional teams embedded in Highmark’s commercial and government health insurance programs, as well as Allegheny Health Network, to align on an even greater emphasis on social health.

"At Highmark, we recognize that addressing social health is central to our Living Health strategy," said Dan Onorato, executive vice president and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. "By addressing the social and economic barriers that impact whole-person health, we can create more opportunities for individuals and families to live healthier lives and build stronger communities."

Social health includes the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, such as access to nutritious food, safe housing, reliable transportation, and quality education. It also involves leveraging community health workers to bridge healthcare systems and the communities they serve for health promotion, social support, outreach and engagement, and cultural mediation.

“We believe that addressing social health is not only the right thing to do for the people we serve, but also a smart and strategic investment,” said Tom Doran, president of Highmark Health Plan  “Addressing socioeconomic barriers to healthy living leads to more accessible and appropriate care, while improving health and quality of life which ultimately equates to a lower total cost of care. By fostering collaboration, Highmark aims to create a health care system that is simplified, accessible and effective for everyone.”

Highmark has been recognized regionally and nationally for its social health efforts, and it continues to actively address social health through a variety of initiatives, including:

Screening and Referral Programs: Implementing programs to identify members with social needs and connect them with appropriate resources.

• Integrating Community Health Workers into Care Delivery Models
• Community Partnerships: Collaborating with community-based organizations in new ways to provide valuable resources and support services to members and patients
• Food and Nutrition Security Initiatives: Partnering with food organizations to combat food and nutrition insecurity and promote healthy eating.
• Transportation Assistance: Providing transportation assistance to help members access medical appointments and other essential services.

“We believe in a comprehensive, partnership-driven strategy to tackle social health challenges,” added Abebe. “By working together, we can improve member and patient health outcomes while also creating healthier, more resilient communities.”