WellCare Earns Top Score on 2019 Disability Equality Index

PR Newswire

TAMPA, Fla., July 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) ("WellCare") has earned a top score of 100% on the 2019 Disability Equality Index (DEI®). This highly respected recognition positions WellCare as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion™" by the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).

The DEI is based on an annual national survey that scores businesses on their disability inclusion policies and practices. The Index is a joint initiative of the AAPD and USBLN and was designed by a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts and disability advocates. The DEI measures key performance indicators across organizational culture, leadership, accessibility, employment, community engagement, support services and supplier diversity. According to the DEI, companies that improve disability inclusion over time outperform their peers, and leading companies report 28% higher revenue, double the net income and 30% higher economic profit margins.

"The DEI is designed to promote and advance disability inclusion practices and policies within corporate America that lead to better employment outcomes for and inclusion of people with disabilities, as employees, customers and suppliers. When businesses include people with disabilities, everybody wins," said Jill Houghton, president and CEO of Disability:IN.

"Focusing on disability inclusion for our associates and our members is a business imperative and an important part of our comprehensive diversity and inclusion efforts," said WellCare CEO Ken Burdick. "We are incredibly proud of our score on the DEI index, which is welcomed recognition of our work to foster a more accommodating and supportive workplace for our associates with disabilities and those who are caregivers."

WellCare offers a number of resources to promote a more supportive and inclusive workplace including:

WellCare's national Community Connections Help Line is staffed by peer coaches, many of whom have experienced a disability or been caregivers themselves. Peer coaches connect callers to a database of more than 300,000 social services available across the country. This free resource is open to the general public and is available from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. local time.
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter service is available onsite to all associates, as needed.
Video relay phone service is available to associates at their desks, allowing them to connect to a live interpreter for phone conversations with another person who is in a separate physical location.
Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART), a speech-to-text interpreting service for anyone who needs communication access, is available for associates who are not ASL fluent.
All company buildings have dedicated parking for those with disabilities, and automatic door openers are available at many entrances and restrooms and continue to be installed at all locations to accommodate individual needs.

In April, WellCare also scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), making it a "Best Places to Work for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Equality."

To learn more about the DEI, go to http://www.disabilityequalityindex.org.

About the Disability Equality Index (DEI)
The Disability Equality Index (DEI) is a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and Disability:IN. Developed by the DEI Advisory Committee, a diverse group of business leaders, policy experts, and disability advocates, the DEI is a national, transparent, annual benchmarking tool that offers businesses an opportunity to receive an objective score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, on their disability inclusion policies and practices.

The DEI is an aspirational, educational, recognition tool that is intended to help companies identify opportunities for continued improvement and help build a company's reputation as an employer of choice.

The Disability Equality Index (DEI) brings together AAPD, the nation's largest disability rights organization, and Disability:IN, the leading national business-to-business network, to collectively advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. The organizations are complimentary and bring unique strengths that make the project relevant and credible to corporate America and the disability community.

About the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
AAPD is a convener, connecter, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities. As one of the leading national cross-disability civil rights organizations, AAPD advocates for the full recognition of rights for the over 60 million Americans with disabilities. Learn more at: www.aapd.com.

About Disability:IN
Disability:IN, formerly known as the US Business Leadership Network, is the leading nonprofit resource for business disability inclusion worldwide. Partnering with more than 180 corporations, Disability:IN expands opportunities for people with disabilities across enterprises. The organization and 50 affiliates raise a collective voice of positive change for people with disabilities in business. Through its programs and services, Disability:IN empowers businesses to achieve disability inclusion and equality, with the goal of advancing inclusion to the point when the organization is no longer necessary. Learn more at: www.disabilityin.org.

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses primarily on providing government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, as well as individuals in the Health Insurance Marketplace. WellCare serves approximately 6.3 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2019. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com.

WellCare was recognized during the Annual Conference: IN for
Inclusion in Chicago on July 17.