JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Availity, LLC, the industry's premier health information network, today announced the expansion of its existing partnership with WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) to include secure real-time eligibility and benefits transactions at no charge to health care providers. The agreement, which expands the existing relationship between Availity and WellCare for health care claims transactions, is a result of their mutual commitment to improving patient care, reducing health care costs and increasing efficiency. The partnership provides seamless information exchange between both parties and grants WellCare providers access to one of the nation's largest secure health care clearinghouses and provider web portals, the Availity Health Information Network.
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"We are delighted to expand our relationship with WellCare," said Russ Thomas, president and chief operating officer at Availity. "By enabling the exchange of eligibility and benefits information in real-time through Availity, WellCare is enhancing the flow of critical information with the provider community, which translates to improved patient care and reduced costs for care delivery."
"Through our expanded service agreement with Availity, WellCare-contracted providers have more timely access to important member health care eligibility and benefit information," said Rex Adams, WellCare chief operating officer. "We have the privilege of serving nearly 2.5 million Medicare and Medicaid members nationwide, and our partnership with Availity is one way we can improve care for our members and serve our providers more effectively and efficiently."
Under the partnership, which began June 15, 2009, WellCare-contracted providers who are registered Availity customers in Florida, Georgia, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Louisiana, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Hawaii are able to obtain secure real-time WellCare member eligibility and benefit information at no cost.
About Availity, LLC - Patients. Not Paperwork.((R))
Availity optimizes information exchange between multiple health care stakeholders through a single, secure network. The Availity Health Information Network encompasses administrative, financial, and clinical services, supporting both real-time and batch exchange via the web, business-to-business (B2B) integration, and electronic data interchange (EDI). For more information, including an online demonstration, please visit www.availity.com.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services exclusively for government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, aged, blind and disabled and prescription drug plans. The Company served nearly 2.5 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2009. For more information please visit www.wellcare.com.
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