ST. LOUIS, April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) announced today that its Pennsylvania subsidiary, Pennsylvania Health & Wellness, has been selected by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to serve Medicaid recipients enrolled in the HealthChoices program in three zones. Pending regulatory approval and successful completion of readiness review, the three-year agreement is expected to commence January 1, 2017.

Pennsylvania Health & Wellness will provide healthcare services to members in the Southeast Zone, the Southwest Zone, and the Lehigh Capital Zone of Pennsylvania. The HealthChoices program covers TANF, Supplemental Security Income, and Breast and Cervical Cancer populations, as well as those newly eligible under the Affordable Care Act expansion throughout the state of Pennsylvania.

"We are pleased to be selected to offer quality healthcare services and programs to Pennsylvania residents. This is particularly rewarding having been a resident of Altoona, Pennsylvania, myself," said Michael F. Neidorff, Chairman, President and CEO for Centene. "With the addition of Pennsylvania, Centene now provides Medicaid and other government-sponsored programs to members in 25 states. We look forward to bringing our innovative and culturally-sensitive health solutions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."

"The Commonwealth's commitment to improving healthcare quality and moving provider payments away from traditional fee-for-service arrangements to value-based purchasing will have a tremendous positive impact on the health and wellness of Pennsylvanians," said Brent Layton, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer for Centene. "Pennsylvania Health & Wellness is honored to be chosen to be a part of this important transformation while also being committed to our local, community involvement approach."

About Centene Corporation
Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise that provides a portfolio of services to government sponsored healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Many receive benefits provided under Medicaid, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care and Long Term Care (LTC), in addition to other state-sponsored programs, Medicare (including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly known as "Part D"), as well as programs with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Centene operates local health plans and offers a range of health insurance solutions. It also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health management, care management software, correctional healthcare services, dental benefits management, in-home health services, life and health management, managed vision, pharmacy benefits management, specialty pharmacy and telehealth services.

Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website, http://www.centene.com/investors.

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SOURCE Centene Corporation