WellCare Helps Reduce Infant Mortality

TAMPA, Fla. - March 28, 2013 - PRLog -- TAMPA, Fla. — WellCare Health Plans, Inc.  has donated $5,000 to Broward Healthy Start Coalition, Inc. to support its Black Infant Health Practice Initiative (BIHPI). The funds will be used to raise awareness about black infant mortality and educate Broward County, Fla. families on how to protect themselves and their infants.

“WellCare has made a commitment to improving health outcomes for people and communities across Florida,” said Dr. Alan Smith, WellCare’s Senior Corporate Medical Director. “We are pleased to join Broward Healthy Start Coalition to help fight health disparities in South Florida and ensure that some of our youngest, most vulnerable residents have the opportunity to grow and thrive.”

WellCare’s donation will be used by Broward Healthy Start Coalition to fund its 3rd Annual Haitian Empowerment Workshop that will be held in October and its 6th Annual Baby Shower 2 Empower event that will be held in November of this year. Both of these events will focus on educating participants about childbirth, breastfeeding, safe sleeping practices, shaken baby syndrome, parenting, and other infant health and safety topics.

“I am sincerely grateful to WellCare for their continued support of our mission and the work we do at Broward Healthy Start Coalition, which is to serve mothers, infants and families by promoting health and well-being to achieve a successful pregnancy and a healthy start in life,” said Donna Sogegian, Executive Director of Broward Healthy Start Coalition.

Data has shown that black women who live in Broward County and are between the ages of 20 and 25, experienced the greatest number of infant losses. Many of these losses could have been prevented. For black babies who died in the womb, the leading cause of death was attributed to mothers’ untreated infections. For black babies who died before their first birthdays, the leading causes of death were infections, homicides and sleep-related accidents. Together, WellCare and Broward Healthy Start Coalition will address these disparities and work on reducing the number of preventable infant deaths in Broward County.

To learn more about the services and events offered by Broward Healthy Start Coalition, call 954-563-7583 or visit www.browardhsc.org. To learn more about BIHPI in Broward County visit www.bihpibroward.org.

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, the aged, blind, and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. The company serves approximately 2.7 million members nationwide as of Dec. 31, 2012. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com.

About Broward Healthy Start Coalition
Broward Healthy Start Coalition is a non-profit 501c3 organization that has been helping expectant mothers, infants and children in Florida’s Broward County since 1991. Healthy Start is dedicated to improving the health of pregnant women and babies. It was created through funding from the Florida Department of Health to reduce infant mortality, reduce the number of low birth weight babies, and improve health and developmental outcomes. Statewide, Healthy Start Coalitions are partnerships made up of local public and private medical professionals, hospitals, schools, charities, social services agencies, March of Dimes, United Way, and individuals. Coalition members work together to identify and resolve local health problems that affect pregnant women and their families. For more information about Healthy Start and programs offered in Florida, visit www.healthystartflorida.com.