Debbie Kim, RN, spends much of her day on the phone — but to her, each call is far more than a conversation. It’s a chance to help someone move forward and access the care they need.
As a Health Coach nurse on the Social Risk Factors team, Debbie supports Medicare members who are often navigating complex health needs alongside everyday challenges. Based in the greater Philadelphia area, she works with members nationwide from her home office.
Many are overwhelmed, unsure where to turn, or running into obstacles that make even basic care feel out of reach. Through each call, Debbie listens, problem solves and strives to remove not only clinical challenges but also the social and economic factors that can stand in the way of receiving the care they need.
“Listening is often the first and most important step,” she says. “Once you understand what’s really going on, you can start to make progress.”
Meeting Medicare members where they are
Debbie didn’t always imagine herself in a virtual role. After years of providing hands-on care in hospital settings, she joined CVS Health curious about how nursing could evolve. What she found was a different but equally meaningful way to support patients — one where small, consistent steps can truly change a person’s health journey.
Today, progress doesn’t always come from a procedure or prescription. Sometimes, it begins with a simple conversation — and a willingness to meet each person in the moment.
Removing barriers to care
Many of the people Debbie speaks with are juggling chronic conditions while also facing issues like transportation, affordability or limited access to resources. A call that begins as a routine check-in about a lab test or medication often reveals a deeper story.
“We might be calling about something like an A1C test,” she explains. “But if someone can’t get to the appointment, that’s the real barrier we need to solve first.”
Education is often the starting point. Many members don’t fully understand their benefits, and the health care system can feel unmanageable. Debbie takes time to explain why screenings matter, what options are available and how to navigate their coverage.
From there, she helps coordinate care and connect members to solutions — identifying lower-cost medications, facilitating use of a preferred pharmacy, or linking them to community resources for housing, food or getting to appointments.
“It sometimes feels like there’s no limit to what we can do,” she says.
Simplifying access to care
Her work also challenges a common misconception.
“People sometimes think we’re simply a call center,” Debbie says. “But every call represents a real person with a unique situation. For many members, that call is their most direct and simplest connection to care — and often the first step in improving access to care.”
And that connection can have a profound impact.
One call that changed everything
Debbie recalls a member who was frustrated and worried after believing his medication assistance had been discontinued. After talking with him, she discovered the issue was simply a missed renewal — something she quickly helped resolve. But the conversation didn’t end there.
By reviewing his situation more closely, Debbie identified an opportunity to switch him to a preferred pharmacy — reducing his medication costs from hundreds of dollars to zero. She extended the same support to his wife, who shared the same plan.
The relief was immediate.
“He told me, ‘I am so happy and blessed — you saved my life and my wife’s life,’” Debbie recalls. “That all came from one call.”
Moments like that reinforce why her work matters — and why patience and empathy are essential to it.
Grounded in purpose
Outside of work, Debbie finds balance in time with her husband and four children, often enjoying family bike rides together. She also turns to her faith for quiet reflection — a source of strength and perspective that helps her stay grounded when members are experiencing stress or uncertainty.
If her role had a soundtrack, she says it would be “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers — a reminder that no one has to handle challenges alone. The message reflects how she supports members and how her team works together, relying on one another and the broader network of resources to deliver care.
“That’s what I hope members feel,” she says. “That they have someone they can reach out to, someone who’s there to help.”
For Debbie, every call is an opening to be that someone — to offer guidance, build trust and help members take one step closer to better health and well-being.
