WellCare Expands Florida Provider Network with Addition of Flagler Hospital

Jan. 15, 2013 - PRLog -- Partnership Increases Care Options for WellCare Members in Northeast Florida

WellCare Health Plans, Inc.  announced that Flagler Hospital, the only hospital located in St. John’s County, Fla., has joined the WellCare provider network. This new agreement expands options for thousands of WellCare’s Staywell Medicaid and Staywell Kids members, and helps to ensure that they have access to comprehensive, quality health care.

“WellCare has made a commitment to ensuring our members get the highest quality care in their local communities,” said Chrissie Cooper, President of WellCare's Florida and Hawaii Division. “We are pleased that Flagler Hospital shares this vision and look forward to working together to serve our members in Northeast Florida.”

WellCare began serving St. John’s County Medicaid beneficiaries and residents participating in the Florida Healthy Kids program, in October 2012. To ensure continuity of care and a variety of options for members, WellCare has partnered with hospitals and health care providers throughout St. John’s, Flagler, Duval, Clay and Volusia counties.

“Flagler Hospital is dedicated to providing world-class care to the residents of our community and surrounding areas. As part of this commitment, we are always looking at ways to enhance access to care and resources for our patients – and this agreement with WellCare supports that,” said Flagler Hospital President and CEO, Joe Gordy.

For more information about services and access to Flagler Hospital providers, WellCare’s Staywell Medicaid members can call 1-866-334-7927 and Staywell Kids members can call 1-866-698-5437 (TTY/TTD for all plans: 1-877-247-6272). For information about joining WellCare’s network, providers can call 1-877-378-2488.

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 2.6 million members nationwide as of Sept. 30, 2012. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com (https://inpublic.huginonline.com/jamie.CCI3/AppData/Local...).

About Flagler Hospital

Flagler Hospital is a 335 bed, acute care hospital that has been ranked among the top 5 percent of all hospitals in the nation for both clinical excellence and patient safety for the past seven consecutive years. The hospital has operated as a not-for-profit healthcare institution in St. Augustine, Fla. since its founding in 1889. The hospital has earned accreditation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Care Centers, national accreditation for its total hip and total knee replacement programs, and Center of Excellence Designation for its Bariatric Surgery Center. For more information, log on to www.flaglerhospital.org.