'Ohana Health Plan Awarded Contract to Provide Community Care Services (CCS) Statewide to Eligible Medicaid Members

KAPOLEI, Hawaii and TAMPA, Fla., March 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 'Ohana Health Plan, a WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) company, announced today that it has been selected to enter into a contract with the state's Department of Human Services' Med-QUEST Division to administer services through the Community Care Services (CCS) program statewide.

CCS delivers behavioral health services to approximately 5,200 Medicaid-eligible adults in Hawaii who have severe mental illness as of December 31, 2017. 'Ohana Health Plan has been the sole provider of CCS services since 2013.

As part of the initiative, CCS case managers meet face-to-face with members to assess their health, plan their care program and monitor their progress towards reaching their behavioral health goals. To help CCS members receive the right care in the best setting, they often have care consultations and follow-up appointments at unique locations where members are most reachable, such as parks and beaches.

"'Ohana Health Plan is proud to be awarded this CCS contract as we continue to serve the diverse health needs of Hawaii," said Scott Sivik, state president of 'Ohana Health Plan. "By providing quality CCS services to those who need it most, we are working to improve health outcomes not only for our members, but for our communities as well."

Through the program, CCS members are also connected to vital social services that are essential to developing and maintaining good health. This includes establishing routine care with behavioral health providers, housing, employment, transportation and applying for state and federal benefits such as food stamps.

'Ohana Health Plan is expected to begin CCS services under a new two-year contract on July 1, 2018. After this period, the contract may be extended for an additional year without rebidding upon mutual agreement of the parties.

About 'Ohana Health Plan

'Ohana Health Plan has more than 250 employees in Hawaii and serves approximately 53,000 members through its offices in Kapolei, Honolulu, Hilo and Kahului. 'Ohana Health Plan has been able to take WellCare's national experience and develop an 'Ohana Health Plan care model that addresses local members' health care and health coordination needs. As of Dec. 31, 2017, 'Ohana Health Plan serves approximately 47,000 Medicaid members, 5,000 Medicare Advantage members, and 1,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) members in Hawaii. For more information about 'Ohana Health Plan, please visit the company's website at www.ohanahealthplan.com.

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. The company serves approximately 4.4 million members nationwide as of Dec. 31, 2017. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking" statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as "expects," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. For example, statements regarding the date for commencement of services under the new program contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause WellCare's actual future results to differ materially from those projected or contemplated in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the outcome of any protests and litigation related to the Medicaid awards, the approval of the contract by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, any changes to the program or contract, WellCare's ability to address operational challenges relating to the implementation of the contract requirements, including, but not limited to, meeting the requirements of readiness reviews, WellCare's progress on top priorities such as integrating care management, advocating for our members, building advanced relationships with providers and government partners, ensuring a competitive cost position, and delivering prudent, profitable growth, WellCare's ability to improve healthcare quality and access, WellCare's ability to effectively estimate and manage growth, WellCare's ability to meet the requirements of readiness reviews, potential reductions in Medicaid revenue, WellCare's ability to estimate and manage medical benefits expense effectively, including through its vendors and its ability to negotiate actuarially sound rates, especially in new programs with limited experience. Given the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, any of WellCare's forward-looking statements could be incorrect and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements.

Additional information concerning these and other important risks and uncertainties can be found in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), included under the captions "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-­K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other filings by WellCare with the SEC, which contain discussions of WellCare's business and the various factors that may affect it. Subsequent events and developments may cause actual results to differ, perhaps materially, from WellCare's forward-looking statements. WellCare's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements are made. WellCare undertakes no duty to update these forward-looking statements to reflect any future events, developments, or otherwise.

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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.