Zing Health on a mission to bring medical coverage to Black and Brown seniors

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The man who once directed the Illinois Department of Public Health has taken on a new venture, providing enhanced Medicare insurance to Black and Brown seniors.

Digital journalist Jamaica Ponder shows us how Dr. Eric Whitaker is continuing to serve the public.

Loop-based Zing Health is a tech-enabled health insurance company, with a focus on healthcare equity for underserved communities. It was founded Whitaker, who's a South Side native.

This is the third healthcare company that Whitaker has started; and, for Zing, he raised over $190 million in venture capital funding, and he's going for another $150 million.

So we sat down with him to find out how he did it, and what he's doing to get more Black entrepreneurs into the space.

"This started from a blank sheet of paper with nothing," Whitaker said. "Even the name Zing came out in a shower thought."

Whitaker is full of ideas, and Zing Health is just his latest.

"I was thinking about, you know, getting older, being more vital, and really enjoying life, and having something in their step," he said.

Formerly the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Whitaker said he wants to see the older generations – particularly Black and traditionally marginalized older folks – living full, lengthy, healthy lives.

"Zing really aims to, you know, extend the life of Black and Brown seniors, but also have a higher quality of life as they as they continue to live," he said.

Whitaker and his partner, Dr. Ken Alleyne, created Zing to sell Medicare Advantage products, to cover parts that aren't included in traditional Medicare coverage, like vision and dental

But with Zing they aim to take it a step beyond.

"We have young people going to the home, and they can help cook. They can help play checkers. They can drive seniors to their appointments," Whitaker said.

Zing offers transportation to ensure health care remains accessible, regardless of mobility. But Whitaker said that's not even the half of it.

"You know, going to the doctor, and being involved in the medical center only accounts for about 20% of one's health," Whitaker said.

That other 80% is accounted for by access to resources like clean water, fresh air, and more.

"That might be having a grocery store within, you know, nearby. And I can tell you, I live in South Shore, and we didn't have a grocery store. So I had to travel outside of my neighborhood to get fresh fruit or food. And so having access to good transportation for seniors is critical to get them to the places they need to get to," Whitaker said.

In creating Zing, Whitaker is hoping to add to a historically vibrant Black economy in Chicago.

"Part of my personal mission, which is to build a company of value to the Black and Brown community, to employ Black and Brown folks. And we have a long history here of Black entrepreneurship, and I'm excited to be able to contribute to that history as we build, say," he said.

Medicare-eligible folks who are interested in Zing Health can learn more about their products and services at their website, zinghealth.com.