The WellCare Community Foundation made a $5,000 donation to the South Florida Progress Foundation (the fundraising arm for PATCHES PPEC). PATCHES is a treatment center in Southeast Florida that provides help to families who are trying to continue working while caring for fragile children. It is the only provider of prescribed pediatric extended nursing care in the state and helps many families, especially minority and migrant families in South Florida, regardless of their ability to pay for services.
“WellCare is pleased to partner with an organization that shares our mission to enhance lives and does so much to help fragile children grow and thrive,” said Tracy Schmidt, WellCare’s Vice President, Florida Field Sales and Marketing. “We look forward to continued collaboration and success in helping the families of South Florida to live happier, healthier lives.”
About PATCHES PPEC:
• Website: http://patchesppec.org/
• PATCHES stands for Pediatric Alternative Treatment, Care, Housing and Evaluation Services, Inc.; while PPEC means Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care.
• Is a 501(c)(3) not for profit, Florida licensed nursing facility, and the only prescribed pediatric extended care provider in the state.
• Is a safe, professional alternative for nursing care that offers up to 12 hours of daily support to families, Monday through Friday, for children ages birth to 21 years of age.
• Fully equipped and staffed to accommodate children who require the support of ventilators, tracheotomies, oxygen therapy, and feeding tubes, or who have other special medical needs. Supportive therapies, respiratory care, educational programming, and door-to-door transportation are also available.
About WellCare:
• Website: www.wellcare.com
• Headquartered in Tampa, Fla. and provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare.
• Offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. Serves approximately 2.7 million members nationwide as of Dec. 31, 2012.
• Offers Healthy Kids health plan coverage in more counties across Florida (65) than any other health plan.
• The only company approved by AHCA to serve the Medicaid program in every county across Florida.
• Serves more Florida Medicaid managed care members than any other health plan participating in the Florida Medicaid program.
• Currently serves more than 560,000 Medicare, Medicaid and Healthy Kids members across Florida.
About the WellCare Community Foundation:
• Established in 2010 and is a non-profit, private foundation.
• Its mission is to foster and promote the health, well-being and quality of life for the poor, distressed and other medically underserved populations – including, those who are elderly, young and indigent – and the communities in which they live.
• Carries out this mission by supporting work that helps people live healthy, safe and productive lives, and by assisting groups with serious and neglected health needs.
• Its goal is to serve as a national resource that fosters an environment where there is a continuum of education, access and quality health care, all of which improve the overall health, well-being and quality of life of targeted beneficiaries.
By Denise Malecki
