Care management initiatives demonstrate innovation and impact
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- WellPoint, Inc., (NYSE: WLP) today announced three of its care management programs received high honors from URAC at the organization's 11th Annual Quality Summit and Awards Program, held Oct. 5-7 in Chicago, Illinois.
The Benefits-Based Incentives and Maternity Outcomes Program, conducted in partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia, received a silver award for demonstrating the impact incentives can have in increasing participation in a maternity management program and in improving maternal and infant health. The Progesterone for Preterm Birth Prevention (17-P) Program received an honorable mention for its work studying the effect of progesterone in helping to stem preterm births. The Social Work Care Management Program received an honorable mention for helping Medicaid members to better manage symptoms of depression and anxiety while increasing their knowledge of available community resources.
"These awards are a point of pride and clearly show our ability to deliver innovative programs to members in our affiliated health plans that help to improve health and chip away at the cost of care," said Anthony Nguyen, senior vice president, WellPoint's Care Management division. "They also further confirm WellPoint's place as a leader in providing health care value," he added.
URAC's 2010 Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Protection and Empowerment Awards recognize health care organizations nationwide that use exceptional practices to advance consumer empowerment and protection.
"These organizations have implemented leading-edge programs that have made a difference in the lives of the consumers they serve, with demonstrable results that matter," said Alan P. Spielman, president and CEO of URAC. "This year's winners are recognized for their leadership in delivering on the promise of a quality health care system that puts consumers first."
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is a nationally recognized leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs.
About WellPoint, Inc.
WellPoint works to simplify the connection between Health, Care and Value. We help to improve the health of our communities, deliver better care to members, and provide greater value to our customers and shareholders. WellPoint is the nation's largest health benefits company, with more than 33 million members in its affiliated health plans, and a total of more than 69 million individuals served through all subsidiaries. As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), and Wisconsin. In a majority of these service areas, WellPoint does business as Anthem Blue Cross, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield or Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield (in the New York service areas). WellPoint also serves customers throughout much of the country as UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at http://www.wellpoint.com/.
SOURCE WellPoint, Inc.