Centene Corporation reports news on its government-sponsored managed care business, including Medicaid, Medicare, individual exchange coverage and Medicare Part D plans. Company updates commonly cover quarterly results, EPS guidance, membership by line of business and health-plan subsidiary activity across state markets.
Centene news also includes initiatives from the Centene Foundation and operating companies such as Health Net, Superior HealthPlan, Home State Health, Sunshine Health, Buckeye Health Plan, Carolina Complete Health and WellCare of Kentucky. Recurring themes include affordable housing, medically tailored meals, provider accessibility, workforce development, community health, social services and programs that address drivers of health for managed care members.
Ambetter from WellCare of Kentucky, a Centene (NYSE: CNC) product, will offer affordable health insurance plans in 107 Kentucky counties for the 2025 plan year. The open enrollment period runs from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 15, 2025, with coverage starting Jan. 1, 2025, for those who enroll by Dec. 15, 2024.
Key benefits include:
- Coverage for all essential health benefits
- Virtual 24/7 Care for remote medical consultations
- Convenient online enrollment process
- My Health Pays program, offering up to $500 in rewards for healthy activities
- Premier Network (formerly Ambetter Health Bronze|Silver|Gold network)
Ambetter aims to provide comprehensive, affordable healthcare coverage to under-insured and uninsured populations through the State Based Exchange.
Ambetter from Health Net, a Centene (NYSE: CNC) product, will offer affordable health insurance plans in 10 California counties for the 2025 plan year. The open enrollment period runs from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2025, with coverage starting Jan. 1 or Feb. 1, 2025, depending on enrollment date.
Key offerings include:
- Comprehensive coverage of essential health benefits
- Virtual 24/7 Care for telehealth services
- Convenient online enrollment process
- My Health Pays® rewards program
Ambetter from Health Net will be available in Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Yolo counties, with partial coverage in some areas.
Ambetter from Absolute Total Care, a Centene (NYSE: CNC) product, will offer affordable health insurance plans to South Carolina residents for the 2025 plan year. The open enrollment period runs from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 15, 2025. Key features include:
1. Coverage for essential health benefits
2. Online enrollment assistance
3. My Health Pays® program with up to $500 in rewards
4. Premier Network (formerly Bronze|Silver|Gold network)
5. New Ambetter Health Solutions product for ICHRA
The company aims to provide quality care, convenient services, and valuable rewards to build a healthier South Carolina. Interested residents can visit ambetter.absolutetotalcare.com for more information and enrollment.
Ambetter from Arizona Complete Health, a product offered by a Centene (NYSE: CNC) company, will provide health insurance plans to nine Arizona counties for the 2025 plan year. The open enrollment period runs from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 15, 2025, with coverage starting Jan. 1, 2025, for those who enroll by Dec. 15.
Key offerings include:
- Comprehensive coverage for essential health benefits
- Virtual 24/7 Care for remote medical consultations
- Convenient online enrollment process
- My Health Pays® program with up to $500 in rewards
- YMCA memberships (in-person and virtual) at no extra cost
- Premier Network (formerly Ambetter Health Bronze|Silver|Gold network)
Ambetter will be available in Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties.
Wellcare, a Centene company, will offer Medicare Advantage (MA) products in 32 states and 102 Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) nationwide during the 2025 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. Key highlights include:
- Expansion to Iowa and 126 new counties across seven states
- $22 million investment in digital tools and resources
- Member onboarding videos in eight languages
- Wellcare Spendables™ card for multiple benefits
- $0 copay for primary care visits on all plans
- New Twill by Dario platform for behavioral health support
- Three PDP products offered in all 34 regions across 50 states and D.C.
- $0 copay for Medicare-covered Part D vaccines and max $35 for 30-day insulin supply
- $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription costs
The enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2024, for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2025.
Superior HealthPlan, a leading managed care organization in Texas and a Centene company (NYSE: CNC), has launched a new screening tool to help Texans access community resources more easily. The assessment, introduced on September 1, 2024, measures non-medical drivers of health and aims to connect members with support for transportation, housing, food, education, and other factors impacting overall well-being.
The screening is now part of a health risk assessment for members with complex care needs. After completion, Superior HealthPlan employees assist members in finding community resources through superiorhealthplan.findhelp.com, an online portal available to all Texans seeking free or reduced-cost services.
Since January 2024, over 800 Superior HealthPlan members have found support through the FindHelp platform, nearly tripling the number from 2023. The new assessment is expected to significantly increase the utilization of this online resource, demonstrating Superior HealthPlan's commitment to addressing barriers to care and improving members' lives through local healthcare solutions.
Centene announced that its subsidiary, Health Net Community Solutions, has been selected by the California Department of Health Care Services to provide managed dental health care services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries in Los Angeles and Sacramento counties. The new 54-month contract is set to begin on July 1, 2025.
Health Net currently serves nearly 385,000 members in these counties with over 1,000 dental providers. The company serves a total of nearly 2.2 million Californians, including more than 1.5 million Medi-Cal members. Health Net is one of three managed care organizations chosen to provide dental services through Medi-Cal and is the only plan in Los Angeles and Sacramento counties offering both medical and dental coverage.
Meridian, a managed care organization in Michigan and a Centene company (NYSE: CNC), has partnered with Mae to improve maternal outcomes and reduce disparities across the state. The partnership aims to provide supplementary support for Medicaid members during pregnancy and postpartum, connecting them with over 50 Michigan-based doulas for virtual and in-person support.
Key points:
- Meridian is responsible for nearly 10% of all births in Michigan
- Black women in Michigan are more than twice as likely to die from maternal-related complications compared to white women
- Doula services have been shown to reduce cesarean births, shorten labor duration, and improve spontaneous vaginal birth rates
- The partnership addresses the rise in maternity care deserts, with 16% of Black babies born in areas with or no access to maternity care services
Health Net, a Medi-Cal managed care health plan and subsidiary of Centene (NYSE: CNC), is providing special assistance to members affected by the Bridge and Airport fires in Southern California. This comes in response to Gov. Gavin Newsom's declared state of emergency in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
The company is ensuring uninterrupted access to essential prescription medications, critical information, and healthcare services. Members can obtain emergency medication supplies, access behavioral health services for coping support, and use telehealth services at no cost. Health Net is also assisting healthcare providers with emergency prescription refills, expedited approvals, and out-of-network treatment authorizations when necessary.
Superior HealthPlan, a Centene (NYSE: CNC) company, has invested $43.3 million in extra Medicaid and CHIP benefits from 2019 to 2023. These Value-added Services provide additional support for low-income families across all 254 Texas counties. The extra benefits include:
- Up to $250 annually in dental benefits for pregnant members 21 and over
- Up to $35 per year for school or sports physicals for members 4-18 years old
- Up to $30 quarterly for over-the-counter items
- Asthma Care Management program with allergy-free bedding
- Companion pets for Behavioral Health Disease Management participants
Over five years, nearly half of the spending ($15.5 million) was on vision care, followed by $12 million on over-the-counter items and $11 million on dental care.