Healthcare plan begins serving elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients in Orlando and Melbourne areas

SUNRISE, Fla., Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunshine State Health Plan, a Sunrise-based HMO, today began serving frail elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients in the Orlando and Melbourne areas as part of the first phase of the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-term Care (LTC) program.

The goal of the program, which will be phased in throughout Florida's 11 regions from now until March of 2014, is to provide nursing and support services so that seniors and the disabled can remain in their homes, assisted living or rehabilitation centers.

Eligible Medicaid recipients in Region 7, which comprises Brevard, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, began selecting a long-term care health plan in May; those selections become effective today with the launch of the program.

"It is an honor to be partnered with the state in caring for our members in the Orlando and Melbourne areas during a transformation of healthcare delivery in Florida," David Wagner, vice president of long-term care, said. "The members we serve truly need our support, and we pledge to be good stewards in caring for them."

Each region must have a certain number of managed care plans to ensure that enrollees have a choice between plans. Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, or AHCA, awarded Sunshine Health the long-term care contract for 10 of 11 regions. About 9,300 Medicaid recipients in Region 7 and more than 88,000 statewide are eligible for the LTC plan.

"We're very excited to be part of this groundbreaking program that the state's leadership and AHCA envisioned and operationalized. We are committed to working with AHCA and key community healthcare and service providers to ensure that our Sunshine Health Tango Plan members receive excellent care," Chris Paterson, president and CEO of Sunshine Health, said.

Sunshine Health, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, is the second largest Medicaid managed care company in Florida and has been serving Medicaid recipients since 2009. It currently serves 210,000 Medicaid recipients.

As a result of winning the contract, Sunshine Health opened a new office in Maitland and created more than 50 jobs, most of which are for case managers, nurses and support staff. Sunshine Health plans to add nearly 400 jobs in Florida by the time the long-term care program is fully phased in.

About Sunshine State Health Plan

Sunshine State Health Plan (Sunshine Health) is a Florida Medicaid health plan. Sunshine Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a leading multi-line healthcare enterprise offering both core Medicaid and specialty services. Information regarding Sunshine Health and its long-term care product, marketed as Sunshine Health Tango Plan, is available via the Internet at www.sunshinestatehealth.com

SOURCE Sunshine State Health Plan