Supported by an abiding love for helping individuals attain optimal health and wellness, Maria R. Amato is recognized as a leading health care professional in the New York region. Since 2022, she has worked as a health coach in case management at Elderplan Inc., a nonprofit health plan that is dedicated to caring for senior citizens and adults receiving Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Servicing clients across the State of New York, Elderplan endeavors to empower its clients to achieve high levels of independence, increasing their quality of life and living it more on their own terms. In addition, Elderplan is distinguished as a pioneer in its health care and social support programs.
As a care manager and health coach, Ms. Amato is responsible for member outreach through which she builds positive relationships with each of her clients. She works in collaboration with more than 1,300 members who are assigned to her caseload. Some of her routine responsibilities include reaching out to members, including medication adherence calls, conducting health risk assessments, and willingly sharing in departmental responsibilities. Further, Ms. Amato coordinates care for Social Determinants of Health, ascertains members’ needs, and supports them in navigating their health insurance and making effective use of their benefits. She takes pride in collaborating with interdisciplinary teams within Elderplan to ensure the best possible health outcomes for its members.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Amato served in the banking industry, beginning her journey in 2006 as a personal business banker at JPMorgan Chase & Co. She remained there until 2014 and subsequently went on to serve as a relationship manager at the Bank of America Corporation between 2015 and 2017. While working in the field of finance, Ms. Amato was encouraged by her colleagues to apply for a job with their health care plan. From there, she served as a practice office associate at Northwell Health from 2017 to 2020. As such, Ms. Amato has found great success in both the finance and health care professions. In addition, she thrived in using more of her talents to provide academic assistance and guidance for students while briefly working with At-Home Tutoring Services in 2022.
To prepare for her own pronounced career, Ms. Amato pursued a formal education at St. John’s University in New York, receiving a Bachelor of Science in paralegal studies, with a minor in business administration. After finding great reward in her career, particularly when she entered the realm of health care, she returned to higher education at Utica University. In 2022, she earned a Master of Science in health care administration. When asked about her career achievements, Ms. Amato emphasizes that her most notable accomplishment thus far has been receiving a master’s degree, noting that her advanced education has helped set her apart in the industry.
In accounting for her success, Ms. Amato credits her “wonderful” support system, which has allowed her to remain motivated throughout her career. To wit, her mother, Rose, has always encouraged her to continue moving forward in times of adversity, as she, too, pursued a prolific and successful career. Impressively, Ms. Amato’s mother served as an educator and attended The Julliard School, from which she received a master’s degree in fine arts.
Ms. Amato is the proud mother of two children, Victoria and Joseph. Looking toward the future, she aims to advance to a higher executive-level position at Elderplan. In this regard, she hopes to delve into a management role to make a greater impact on other individuals’ lives, including their health goals and quality of life. She is presently learning how to speak Spanish to better relate to her clients. Ms. Amato resides in the New York City metropolitan area and enjoys practicing yoga in her leisure time.