Call center bringing 750 jobs to Yuma

In some good news for Yuma's workforce, a new company is coming to the community, bringing with it hundreds of jobs.

Nation's Health, which provides support and outsourced services for a number of major government and private health insurers, will be opening a call center in Yuma in the coming weeks.

Jeff Bishop, chief operating officer, said the company intends to have the center ready to start taking phone calls by early fall with an initial work force of between 100 and 150. Ultimately, the company expects to hire about 750 people.

About half will be customer service representatives and the other half licensed insurance agents, Bishop said. The company is looking to hire insurance agents who are already certified as well as people to be trained as agents. There will also be management and other positions, such as human relations.

The company already is accepting job applications with intentions to begin training by late August to be ready for operations by late September or early October.

People can apply through Yuma Private Industry Council, the local employment office or on Nation's Health website at nationshealth.com/careers.

The company also will be participating in a job fair YPIC is holding on Aug. 29 at the Pivot Point Conference Center.

These will be good paying jobs with benefits, said Greg LaVann, project manager for Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation, who has been working with Nation's Health to bring the company to Yuma.

It was a fast pace, he said, noting that discussions began in June. “And they progressed rapidly.”

He noted that Yuma was competing with locations in Maine and New Mexico for the call center, the latest in several facilities Nation's Health has in the United States and the Philippines.

Bishop stressed that the Yuma call center is a result of growth in Nation's Health business and represents an expansion of the company. He further noted that its other facilities are hiring as well.

LaVann said Yuma was on Nation's Health radar screen through Bishop's previous development efforts. Yuma's three big selling points are its available work force, its location in the western part of the country and the great partnerships between its public and private sectors working together to bring jobs to the area.

“Yuma was a unique experience,” Bishop said. “The city, county, state, GYEDC, YPIC and AWC (Arizona Western College) were all part of the conversation. They were all in the room working together to help and guide. They were all more aligned than any I've seen in trying to bring in a business.”

One remaining question is where the call center will be located. Bishop said the company currently is seeking a temporary location to begin operations as well as a permanent site as the call center continues to grow.

Nation's Health supports the health care industry through outsourced business services and mail order of medical and wellness supplies. The Yuma call center will focus on the services it provides for public and private insurers, in particular member services for senior citizens, Bishop said.

The call center representatives will be taking calls to “help folks get the care and medications they need” as well as educating customers in the management of on-going diseases such as diabetes and respiratory conditions.

“We touch the lives of millions of commercial and government members on an annual basis,” Bishop said.

“This is a big win for the whole county with the number of jobs it will bring,” said City Administrator Greg Wilkinson. “This is a good solid company … a good call center to have.”