WellCare Donates $75,000 to the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to Help Children With Asthma

WellCare Health Plans, Inc. today announced that it donated $75,000 to the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to improve care and outcomes for children with asthma in Georgia.

Tampa, Fla. (PRWEB) December 11, 2014

WellCare Health Plans, Inc. WCG today announced that it donated $75,000 to the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to improve care and outcomes for children with asthma in Georgia.

Childhood asthma is one of the most common pediatric chronic diseases, affecting approximately 9.6 million children across the country. The incidence of pediatric asthma continues to grow and accounts for 14.7 million missed school days a year, with children receiving nearly half of all asthma hospitalizations. National survey data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate a disproportionately greater rate of asthma among children, women, blacks and those reporting income below the federal poverty level.

The Georgia Chapter of the AAP will use the funds to provide training and resources to Georgia pediatricians based on the most current evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. The guidelines were developed by an expert panel commissioned by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP), which is coordinated by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Although there is currently no cure for asthma, symptoms can be controlled with appropriate medical treatment, self-management education, and by avoiding exposure to environmental allergens and irritants that can trigger an attack.

“WellCare is proud to continue our work with the Georgia Chapter of the AAP to help equip pediatric providers with the continuing asthma education and resources needed to better serve children in the state,” said Roman Kulich, WellCare's region president, Georgia and South Carolina.

"CDC results reveal that Georgia ranks higher than 38 participating states for lifetime and current prevalence rates for asthma, which though not a curable disease, can be controlled with self-management education and appropriate medical care. The Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics thanks WellCare for supporting our efforts to make significant improvements in pediatric asthma care across the state," said Dr. Evelyn Johnson, president of Georgia Chapter of the AAP.

As of Sept. 30, 2014, WellCare serves approximately 613,000 Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® plan members, 30,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 55,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Georgia. To learn more about how we care for Georgians watch Gloria's story at http://youtu.be/qyn-nywze04.

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 4 million members nationwide as of Sept. 30, 2014. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at http://www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at http://youtu.be/tWeMyxFaxgE.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/12/prweb12389455.htm