WellCare Approved to Offer Medicaid In Six Additional South Carolina Counties

WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

, a provider of managed care services for government-sponsored health care programs, announced today that it has been approved by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) to offer Medicaid in six additional counties in the state, effective January 1, 2014. These counties are Charleston, Chesterfield, Greenwood, Kershaw, McCormick and Spartanburg. With this approval, WellCare will provide Medicaid services in 45 out of 46 counties in South Carolina. Additionally, membership from Carolina Medical Homes (CMH) is anticipated to transition to WellCare on January 1, 2014, as a result of changes SCDHHS is making to its Healthy Connections Choices Medicaid managed care program and WellCare's pending purchase of certain assets from CMH. "This six county expansion will allow WellCare to provide Medicaid services to beneficiaries in nearly every county in South Carolina," said Dave Shafer, president, WellCare of South Carolina. "It will also help us to ensure that almost all of the members transitioning from Carolina Medical Homes will be able to continue their care with their current primary care providers. We look forward to continuing to