Easy Choice Health Plan Signs Value-Based Agreement with AltaMed Health Services

CYPRESS, Calif. and TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Easy Choice Health Plan, Inc., a WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) company, announced today that it has signed an agreement with AltaMed Health Services Corporation, the nation's largest federally qualified community health centers. To drive quality and improve health outcomes for Easy Choice's Medicare Advantage members, the value-based agreement will emphasize payments based on quality care, rather than the number or type of procedures completed.

AltaMed will provide in-network coverage to Easy Choice's Medicare Advantage members through 35 sites within Los Angeles and Orange counties. The agreement provides access to primary medical care centers, including hospitals, labs, diagnostic imaging centers, and urgent care centers.

"We are proud to partner with AltaMed Health Services, which shares our focus on providing high quality, coordinated care for our members," said Karen M. Johnson, executive director at Easy Choice Health Plan. "AltaMed has a wide range of programs that support WellCare's ongoing commitment to improving the health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve."

Under the arrangement, Easy Choice will collaborate with AltaMed's physicians to drive quality-based improvements in certain Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures, a tool used by more than 90 percent of America's health plans to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service. The agreement utilizes quality and performance measures set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' five-star quality rating system, which assesses Medicare beneficiaries' experience with their health plans and the healthcare system.

"AltaMed is committed to preventing illness before the onset of disease and keeping its patients healthy, independent and out of hospitals and nursing homes," said Anna Tran, senior strategy executive at AltaMed Health Services. "It's a natural fit for us to work with Easy Choice because we have the same mission of providing quality care and improved patient outcomes."

As of Sept. 30, 2017, WellCare and Easy Choice Health Plan serve approximately 26,000 Medicare Advantage members and 86,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in California.

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 4.3 million members nationwide as of Sept. 30, 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.

About AltaMed Health Services Corporation

AltaMed strives to eliminate disparities related to healthcare access and outcomes by providing superior quality health and human services through an integrated world-class delivery system for Latino, multi-ethnic and underserved communities in Southern California. AltaMed delivers services such as medical, dental, women's health, senior care, urgent care, pharmacy and HIV services. To learn more about AltaMed, visit www.altamed.org.

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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.