ATLANTA and TAMPA, Fla., March 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing the important connection between poverty, literacy and health outcomes, WellCare of Georgia, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), announced today it gave $3,000 to the Lincoln County Family Connection, a statewide network of 159 county collaborative organizations that is committed to improving literacy by bringing books to low-income families in Lincoln County, Georgia.
A recent study reveals the ratio of age-appropriate books per child in low-income neighborhoods is one for every 300 children, while in middle-income neighborhoods that ratio is 13 books for every child.
Many social determinants of health, including socio-economic status and literacy, factor into the health of an individual, family and community.
"Poverty, illiteracy and health outcomes are closely connected," said Roman Kulich, WellCare's region president, Georgia and South Carolina. "With over 25 percent of residents in Lincoln County living in poverty, an impactful way to improve reading achievements in this community is to increase access to books."
For more information on the Lincoln County Family Connection, visit http://www.lincolncountyfamilyconnection.com.
As of Dec. 31, 2015, WellCare serves approximately 585,000 Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® plan members, 36,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 22,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Georgia. To learn more about how we care for Georgians watch Gloria's story at http://youtu.be/qyn-nywze04.
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. WellCare serves approximately 3.8 million members nationwide as of Dec. 31, 2015. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.
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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
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