ST. LOUIS, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene (NYSE: CNC)
today announced a series of investments and commitments aimed at
supporting the incarcerated population and the staff that serve
them. The company announced new investments in technology that will
improve access to care, reinforced its commitment to providing key
medical supplies to the incarcerated population during the
pandemic, and announced an expansion of its social determinants of
health efforts to support those in the prison system.
"It is our mission to protect and advocate for the most
vulnerable populations, and incarcerated individuals have some of
the greatest healthcare needs," said Michael Neidorff, Chairman, President and CEO of
Centene. "Today we are doubling down on our commitment to this
population and making investments that will improve the system's
ability to serve them over the long-term."
Improving access to care through technology
Today, the company has announced that it is doubling its
investment in telehealth technology solutions in prisons through
Centurion, a Centene subsidiary and a leading provider of medical
and mental health services to
state prison systems, to expand primary and
specialty care encounters with inmates and medical professionals.
The additional investment will expand the company's primary and
medical capabilities by 200% and provide an additional 3,000 mental
health visits on a monthly basis.
"Centurion has a track record of improving outcomes upon
entering new markets. Our ability to leverage Centene's
diabetes management program is recognized even more during this
health crisis. Infusing technology into prison systems can
significantly improve access to quality care," said Centurion Chief
of Clinical Operations, Johnny Wu,
MD, FACP, FACCP, CCHP-A, who will be helping drive the
implementation of these changes. "We continue to address
patients' acute needs during the pandemic, while investing in
technology to protect their well-being in the long-term."
This new investment will expand the capacity of these services
and help more incarcerated individuals get immediate access to
remote care. Centurion's telehealth services currently provide
approximately 10,000 mental health and 2,500 primary medical and
specialty care appointments monthly.
Expanding PPE Supplies in Prisons to Combat COVID-19
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Centurion has ensured that all
of its partner agencies and state departments of correction have
had access to the critical medical supplies they need to serve the
incarcerated population. Today, the company is reinforcing
its commitment to provide personal protective equipment, hand
sanitizer and COVID-19 tests.
"Access to critical medical supplies should not be an obstacle
to care for incarcerated individuals," said, Steven H. Wheeler, CEO of Centurion. "We will
continue to source, distribute and supply necessary medical
equipment to prison systems in need. We are proud of the
partnerships with our national lab companies and local departments
of health, and no incarcerated individual under our medical care
that meets criteria has waited for or been denied a COVID-19 test.
During this challenging time, we must come together to protect
incarcerated individuals and the staff that serve them."
All of Centurion's partner agencies and the state departments of
correction that Centurion works with have eliminated co-pays for
COVID-19 related evaluation, testing and treatment, which removes a
deterrent for some individuals to seek care.
Enhancing Long-Term Outcomes for Incarcerated
Individuals
Beyond the pandemic, Centene is also expanding its partnerships
with the Concordance Academy and other charitable agencies whose
mission is to reduce recidivism, with new programs focused on
addressing the broader social determinants that are critical to
individuals' outlook both during and following their time in
prison.
"There are many non-medical factors that contribute to health,
social and economic outcomes of individuals who have been
incarcerated," said Centurion Chief Medical Officer, Dr.
John May. Dr. May is an
international advocate for incarcerated populations, co-founder of
the nonprofit Health through Walls, and advisor to
the Justice and Corrections Service of UN Peace Operations
regarding COVID-19 operations. "The pandemic has highlighted
the need for accelerated innovation to better serve incarcerated
populations. If we are to make meaningful progress on reducing
incarceration and recidivism rates in this country, we must be
willing to take a more holistic and aggressive approach to
addressing the broader social determinants of health of this
population."
Today the company is committing to pilot programs at facilities
in three states with tablets that will connect incarcerated
individuals to Centurion health professionals on demand and educate
themselves on topics like nutrition, wellness and preventive
care. The program will include video content that focuses on
navigating the healthcare system, resilience, and avoiding pitfalls
that contribute to substance abuse. The educational content
will help an individual's understanding and ownership of their own
wellness and more effectively prepare them for life after
release.
The intent of the programs is to develop a more personal and
holistic way to care for incarcerated individuals, which addresses
the population's specific needs regarding medical care, mental
well-being and education. This framework will work to ensure that
incarcerated populations are protected during their time in prison
and prepared to succeed when they re-enter society.
About Centene Corporation
Centene Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, is a leading
multi-national healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping
people live healthier lives. The company takes a local approach –
with local brands and local teams - to provide fully integrated,
high-quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored
and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and
uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality
products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including
Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug
Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health
Insurance Marketplace, the TRICARE program, and individuals in
correctional facilities. The Company also serves several
international markets, and contracts with other healthcare and
commercial organizations to provide a variety of specialty services
focused on treating the whole person. Centene focuses on long-term
growth and the development of its people, systems and capabilities
so that it can better serve its members, providers, local
communities, and government partners.
Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important
information about the company, including information that may be
deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about
Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor
relations website, http://www.centene.com/investors.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements, other than statements of current or
historical fact, contained in this press release are
forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing,
forward-looking statements often use words such as "believe,"
"anticipate," "plan," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "seek,"
"target," "goal," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "can,"
"continue" and other similar words or expressions (and the negative
thereof). Centene (the Company, our, or we) intends such
forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe-harbor
provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and we are including this
statement for purposes of complying with these safe-harbor
provisions. In particular, these statements include, without
limitation, statements about our future operating or financial
performance, market opportunity, growth strategy, competition,
expected activities in completed and future acquisitions, including
statements about the impact of our recently completed acquisition
(the WellCare Acquisition) of WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
(WellCare), other recent and future acquisitions, investments and
the adequacy of our available cash resources. These
forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect
to future events and are based on numerous assumptions and
assessments made by us in light of our experience and perception of
historical trends, current conditions, business strategies,
operating environments, future developments and other factors we
believe appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are subject
to change because they relate to events and depend on circumstances
that will occur in the future, including economic, regulatory,
competitive and other factors that may cause our or our industry's
actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to
be materially different from any future results, levels of
activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of
future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. All forward-looking statements included in this press
release are based on information available to us on the date
hereof. Except as may be otherwise required by law, we undertake no
obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements
included in this press release, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, after the date hereof. You
should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements,
as actual results may differ materially from projections,
estimates, or other forward-looking statements due to a variety of
important factors, variables and events including but not limited
to: the impact of COVID-19 on global markets, economic conditions
and the healthcare industry and our results of operations, which is
unknown, uncertainty as to our expected financial performance
following completion and integration of the WellCare Acquisition;
the possibility that the expected synergies and value creation from
the WellCare Acquisition will not be realized, or will not be
realized within the expected time period; the risk that unexpected
costs will be incurred in connection with the integration of the
WellCare Acquisition or that the integration of WellCare will be
more difficult or time consuming than expected; unexpected costs,
charges or expenses resulting from the WellCare Acquisition; the
inability to retain key personnel; disruption from the completion
of the WellCare Acquisition, including potential adverse reactions
or changes to business relationships with customers, employees,
suppliers or regulators, making it more difficult to maintain
business and operational relationships; the risk that we may not be
able to effectively manage our expanded operations; our ability to
accurately predict and effectively manage health benefits and other
operating expenses and reserves; competition; membership and
revenue declines or unexpected trends; changes in healthcare
practices, new technologies, and advances in medicine; increased
healthcare costs; changes in economic, political or market
conditions; changes in federal or state laws or regulations,
including changes with respect to income tax reform or government
healthcare programs as well as changes with respect to the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and
Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, collectively referred
to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and any regulations enacted
thereunder that may result from changing political conditions or
judicial actions, including the ultimate outcome in "Texas v.
United States of America"
regarding the constitutionality of the ACA; rate cuts or other
payment reductions or delays by governmental payors and other risks
and uncertainties affecting our government businesses; our ability
to adequately price products on the Health Insurance Marketplaces
and other commercial and Medicare products; tax matters; disasters
or major epidemics; the outcome of legal and regulatory
proceedings; changes in expected contract start dates; provider,
state, federal and other contract changes and timing of regulatory
approval of contracts; the expiration, suspension, or termination
of our contracts with federal or state governments (including but
not limited to Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE or other customers); the
difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of pending or future
litigation or government investigations; challenges to our contract
awards; cyber-attacks or other privacy or data security
incidents; the possibility that the expected synergies and value
creation from acquired businesses, including businesses we may
acquire in the future, will not be realized, or will not be
realized within the expected time period; the exertion of
management's time and our resources, and other expenses incurred
and business changes required in connection with complying with the
undertakings in connection with any regulatory, governmental or
third party consents or approvals for acquisitions; disruption
caused by significant completed and pending acquisitions,
including, among others, the WellCare Acquisition, making it more
difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; the
risk that unexpected costs will be incurred in connection with the
completion and/or integration of acquisition transactions; changes
in expected closing dates, estimated purchase price and accretion
for acquisitions; the risk that acquired businesses will not be
integrated successfully; the risk that we may not be able to
effectively manage our operations as they have expanded as a result
of the WellCare Acquisition; restrictions and limitations in
connection with our indebtedness; our ability to maintain or
achieve improvement in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) Star ratings and maintain or achieve improvement in
other quality scores in each case that can impact revenue and
future growth; availability of debt and equity financing, on terms
that are favorable to us; inflation; foreign currency fluctuations;
and risks and uncertainties discussed in the reports that Centene
has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This list of
important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. We discuss
certain of these matters more fully, as well as certain other
factors that may affect our business operations, financial
condition and results of operations, in our filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our annual
report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current
reports on Form 8-K. Due to these important factors and risks, we
cannot give assurances with respect to our future performance,
including without limitation our ability to maintain adequate
premium levels or our ability to control our future medical and
selling, general and administrative costs.
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SOURCE Centene Corporation