WellCare of Nebraska Receives NeHII Contract to Offer a Secure Data Exchange of Health Information

OMAHA, Neb. and TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of Nebraska, Inc., a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), has been awarded a data sharing contract with Nebraska Health Information Initiative (NeHII) that will allow for a secure data exchange of health information to help members receive quality and timely care.

By utilizing the efficient NeHII database of electronic health records, physicians and other providers in the WellCare network will be able to deliver healthcare services to members in a protected and timely manner.

"This contract with NeHII is exciting because it gives us the capability to access patient information faster so that members can obtain treatment when they need it most," said Lauralie Rubel, state president of WellCare of Nebraska. "By exchanging complete, accurate data more quickly, we can support better health outcomes for our members."

As of January 1, 2018, Nebraska will be the first state to require the tracking of all dispensed prescriptions. Starting this year, dispensed prescriptions for controlled substances are now tracked through the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). According to NeHII's update from July 2017, more than 1.5 million dispensed prescriptions have been submitted through this database, enabling WellCare of Nebraska physicians to access a more complete healthcare profile. Another benefit of the database is its capability to track patients' controlled substance medication histories, which will help reduce health-related issues such as opioid addiction.

In addition, this database will allow WellCare of Nebraska providers to securely access patient information including lab results, emergency room visits, prescription information and more. By streamlining this process, the data exchange will support improvements to care management efforts in order to promote overall wellness for members.

To learn more about NeHII and its efforts to provide a secure data exchange of health information, visit NeHII online or contact 1-866-978-1799.

WellCare serves approximately 83,000 members in Nebraska, including 76,000 Medicaid members and 7,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members.

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. WellCare serves approximately 4.4 million members nationwide as of June 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 NeHII

NeHII is a non-profit organization with a public/private governance model that includes healthcare providers, payers, and the State of Nebraska.  NeHII is a statewide Health Information Exchange designed to share clinical and administrative data among providers in Nebraska and neighboring states. NeHII's purpose is to achieve healthcare transformation through community betterment collaboration while protecting the security and privacy of medical information.

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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.