WellCare Health Plans Inc. announced its intentions to buy Care1st Health Plan of Arizona, an Arizona Medicaid Managed Care plan, for $157.5 million. As of now, more than half of WellCare’s 2.43 million Medicaid members reside in Florida and Georgia, states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This deal will allow WellCare “an opportunity to expand our footprint into Arizona’s growing Medicaid and Medicare markets,” said Ken Burdick, WellCare’s chief executive officer. The deal is expected to close in early 2017.
“Care1st Arizona is a well-regarded, quality health plan that has served government-sponsored programs in Arizona for more than 13 years. Its focus on community-based relationships and integrated delivery of medical care and social services aligns with our approach to providing improved health outcomes for low-income families, children, the disabled, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs,” said Ken Burdick, WellCare CEO. WellCare has not previously operated Medicaid in Arizona. With this acquisition, WellCare is expanding their Medicaid market by over 500,000 members who are Arizonans who have gained Medicaid coverage as a result of their state’s Medicaid expansion.
Our Payer Advocacy Compass™ (PAC) team is tracking this acquisition as well as other acquisitions and mergers. For details of other acquisitions and mergers that GIRS is following, visit Payer Coverage.
We track these acquisitions and mergers to understand their implications for patient access to our clients’ medical technologies, and to ensure that our clients, their sales force, and accounts will be informed in a timely and competitive manner of any medical policy coverage once those mergers are finalized and changes are implemented. Let us assist you too! Contact us
http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2016/10/05/wellcare-strikes-158-million-deal-to-expand.html