Staywell and American Heart Association Partner to Provide CPR Training Classes in Florida

TAMPA, Fla., April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Every 43 seconds someone in the United States has a heart attack. To help teach skills that protect life, Staywell Heath Plan, a WellCare (NYSE: WCG) health plan dedicated to serving Medicaid members in Florida, has partnered with the American Heart Association to provide Hands-Only™ CPR training classes for the general public at its local Welcome Rooms.

Hands-Only CPR is CPR without mouth-to-mouth breaths and is recommended for use by people who see someone suddenly collapse in an "out-of-hospital" settings such as at home, at work or in a park. It consists of two easy steps: Call 9-1-1 (or send someone to call on your behalf) and push hard and fast in the center of the chest.

"If you are called on to give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you love," said Dr. Alan Smith, senior medical director for Staywell. "More than 326,000 people experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year, and about 90 percent of them die, often because loved ones don't know how to start CPR or are afraid they'll do something wrong."

The American Heart Association guidelines, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, highlight how quick action, proper training, use of technology and coordinated efforts can increase survival from cardiac arrest. Survival depends on immediate CPR and other actions starting with bystanders.

"We believe that educating and engaging community members around key health priorities will further our mission to help our members live better, healthier lives," said Elizabeth Miller, president, WellCare of Florida. "WellCare is proud that our Welcome Rooms are making it easier for people to access important health information right where they live and work."

WellCare operates 15 Welcome Rooms throughout Florida. They are located in Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, Kissimmee, Melbourne, New Port Richey, Ocala, Orlando, Pensacola, Pinellas Park, Spring Hill, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Winter Haven. For more information about events and activities, call WellCare of Florida's Welcome Rooms at (850) 523-4300. 

To learn more, visit www.heart.org/handsonlyCPR.

As of Dec. 31, 2016, WellCare serves approximately 780,000 Medicaid members, 62,000 Florida Healthy Kids members, 94,000 Medicare Advantage members, and 28,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Florida.

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 3.9 million members nationwide as of Dec. 31, 2016. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.

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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.