Centene to consolidate its Medicare Advantage plan branding under Wellcare

Centene is consolidating all of its Medicare Advantage (MA) brands under the Wellcare name, the government insurance giant announced Thursday.

Centene closed its acquisition of Wellcare Health Plans in January 2020, which led to a slew of disparate MA brands across 33 states, the company said. The $17 billion deal created one of country's largest sponsors of government insurance.

Brand names that will be consolidated under Wellcare include Allwell, Health Net, Fidelis Care, Trillium Advantage, 'Ohana Health Plan and TexanPlus, Centene said.

"As our Medicare footprint continues to grow, our focus was to create one brand to better align with our strategy and goals, help us deliver on our mission, and, most importantly, better serve our 1.1 million Medicare Advantage members across the country," said Rich Fisher, senior vice president and CEO of Medicare for Centene, in a statement.

RELATED: How the WellCare acquisition is driving Centene's approach to Medicare Advantage

In addition to consolidating brands under one name, Wellcare's branding is getting a refresh, according to the announcement.

The new circular, teal logo aims to feel more modern and consumer-centric, Wellcare said. The company said it also plans to take on a more straightforward tone and voice to ease the member experience.

 "We are delighted to share our new refreshed Wellcare brand, which is part of our larger corporate strategy to transform and modernize how we engage with our Medicare members about their health," said Suzy Deprizio, Centene senior vice president and chief marketing officer, in a statement.

Centene is rolling out the new branding as major insurers nationwide gear up for Medicare open enrollment with an eye on significant growth. Payers will be releasing additional details on their MA plans for the 2022 plan year in the coming weeks.

Open enrollment for Medicare begins Oct. 15.