Healthcare call center to open in Concord

The city of Concord is again stretching its economic muscles and showing signs of recovery as it adds another coveted enterprise to its business landscape.

Recently, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors awarded a health insurance call center – and its more than 200 new jobs – to the city , edging out neighbors Pittsburg and Antioch, and the cross-county city of Richmond.

There was some fear the call center would leave Contra Costa altogether, but the board finally came to an agreement with Covered California, the group overseeing state’s implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act, in March. The state plans to open three call centers in California by the end of the year.

Call center employees will help the public with questions concerning their coverage under affordable care act.

“This is a great boon for the county, and for Concord in particular,” says Concord’s Economic Development and Housing manager John Montagh. “It will attract new jobs, and continue to show the strong economy that is being created here in central Contra Costa.”

It’s a sentiment obviously shared by county officials.

“I’m very pleased that Contra Costa County was selected by the State for the location of one of three call centers in California,” says Supervisor Karen Mitchoff. She says that the Board of Supervisors selected the best site – Concord – based on the lowest cost to the state and at no cost to the county.

“The best news is how many new jobs – 214 – will be created and located here in Contra Costa,” she says.

People interested in applying can call the Contra Costa County Human Resources Department at 925-335-1700 or apply online at www.cccounty.us/hr [click on the “Job Opportunities” link, and select exchange customer service agent I or II]. Already close to 5,000 people have applied, according to the county.

The call center will be located in 30,000 square feet of office space at 2500 Bates Ave., part of the former Comcast building.

The call center is just the latest in new businesses opening their doors in Concord.

Recently, WCS Lending leased out 24,000 square feet of office space on Grant Street in downtown Concord, and Concord Honda relocated to its new, larger location in the three-acre site of the old Expo Design Center on Concord Avenue.