WellCare Supports Educational Scholarships for Georgia Students

PR Newswire

ATLANTA and TAMPA, Fla., July 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sometimes obtaining an education is the first step toward a healthier lifestyle. That's why WellCare of Georgia, a WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) company, and the WellCare Community Foundation are committed to helping young adults pursue higher education.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with higher levels of education and income experience lower rates of chronic diseases compared to those with less education and lower income levels. And according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, general literacy appears to correlate to health literacy—the more education people have, the more likely they are to lead healthier lives, see physicians regularly, smoke less and exercise more frequently.

WellCare of Georgia Offers Scholarships to Medicaid Members
To promote healthier outcomes, WellCare of Georgia is proud to include in its value-added benefits the WellCare of Georgia Scholarship, a merit-based award available to its Medicaid members who have demonstrated academic achievement. In 2019, the company will provide 10 scholarships ($5,000 each) to be used for tuition and room and board.

"There is a significant relationship between education and health," said Sonya Nelson, state president, WellCare of Georgia. "Higher education can lead to increased opportunities for our members while helping to improve the health and well-being of these students and our local communities."

"We are honored to recognize these deserving students' achievements, and we are excited to support them as they continue their educational journeys," adds Nelson.

WellCare Community Foundation Partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters to Offer Scholarships in Georgia
In June, the WellCare Community Foundation donated $10,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBSMA), which provided $3,000 in scholarships for the graduating class of its 2019 mentoring program. BBBSMA provides children facing adversity with professionally supported, one-to-one mentor relationships and remains focused on increasing graduation rates, decreasing juvenile delinquency and creating a cradle to college to career pathway for children facing adversity. The 2019 mentoring program had a 95% graduation rate.

"At WellCare, our mission is to help our members and the communities we serve live better, healthier lives. We do this by going beyond just healthcare and making connections to critical programs and resources that promote better health outcomes. Realizing the important relationship between education and health, we are thrilled to help students in Georgia achieve healthier futures," said Rhonda Mims, WellCare's executive vice president, chief public affairs officer and president of the WellCare Community Foundation.

For more information on the WellCare of Georgia Scholarship, call WellCare customer service at 1-866-231-1821. For more information on WellCare of Georgia, visit www.wellcare.com/georgia.

As of March 31, 2019, WellCare serves approximately 492,000 Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids^® plan members, 52,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 24,000 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.
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.