WellCare Presents $20,000 Grant to Centering Healthcare Institute and Two CommUnity Hero Awards In South Carolina
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) November 18, 2013 -- WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), a nationwide provider of Medicaid and Medicare managed care, recently presented a grant for $20,000 to the Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI).
In addition, the company presented two CommUnity Hero Awards to health care providers utilizing maternal care best practices aimed at reducing pre-term births and improving maternal health in the Greenville, S.C., area. WellCare presented Amy Picklesimer, MD, MSPH, and Sarah Covington-Kolb, MSPH, MSW, with the awards at CHI’s annual conference. The awards recognize their efforts to further the organization’s approach to maternal care. The $20,000 grant is being used to expand CHI’s pregnancy and parenting programs across the southeastern U.S.
“WellCare is committed to enhancing the health of our members and their communities,” said Dave Shafer, state president, WellCare of South Carolina. “We commend Amy, Sarah and the Centering Healthcare Institute for their work in expanding preventive prenatal care and support to expectant mothers in South Carolina.”
“The staff at the Centering Healthcare Institute is grateful to have WellCare’s support in recognizing our dedicated prenatal health care providers,” said Sharon Schindler Rising, CEO of Centering Healthcare Institute. “Amy and Sarah’s work with the CenteringPregnancy model exemplifies our commitment to improving the lives of women and their families through this empowering model of group care.”
The institute promotes an evidence-based redesign of health care delivery and a group health care model that incorporates three major components: assessment, education and support. Research has shown that the institute’s CenteringPregnancy model significantly reduces the rate of pre-term births and improves maternal health, while also reducing state Medicaid spending. According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Medicaid finances almost half of all births in the U.S., and it is estimated that the CenteringPregnancy model saves health systems approximately $2,094 for each participating mother.
Picklesimer is the medical director for the Greenville Health System’s OB/GYN Center. She has been instrumental in implementing and furthering the CenteringPregnancy model in South Carolina. Her research and advocacy resulted in state funding for five CenteringPregnancy sites and increased incentives for providers adopting CHI’s Centering approach.
Covington-Kolb is the CenteringPregnancy coordinator for the Greenville Health System and an integral part of ensuring the CenteringPregnancy model’s success in South Carolina. In the past three years, more than 175 new groups have launched, including more than 1,800 patients. In addition, she writes a CenteringPregnancy blog, oversees CenteringPregnancy staff training workshops and presents the CenteringPregnancy model at conferences around the state. There are more than 135 approved CHI sites across the country. To learn more about the Centering Healthcare Institute and its mission, visit http://www.centeringhealthcare.org.
As of Sept. 30, 2013, WellCare serves approximately 50,000 Medicaid and 11,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in South Carolina.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind, and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. The company serves approximately 2.8 million members nationwide as of Sept. 30, 2013. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at http://www.wellcare.com.
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Media Contact:
Marq Caughell
813-206-3956
marq.caughell(at)wellcare(dot)com
Marq Caughell - Media Relations, WellCare Health Plans, Inc., https://www.wellcare.com/, +1 (813) 206-3956, [email protected]
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