WellCare of Kentucky and Kentucky Homeplace Partner to Distribute Gas Cards to Medicaid Members

More than 500 WellCare Medicaid members eligible for assistance

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past few years, many medically underserved Kentuckians have delayed seeking care to help manage chronic conditions or to make preventive medical appointments. First, COVID-19 restrictions kept people from making appointments. Now, a steep rise in gas prices has made getting to appointments even more difficult.

To alleviate the financial strain of high gas prices and to encourage people to make and keep important appointments, WellCare of Kentucky and Kentucky Homeplace (KHP) have partnered to distribute gas cards offered at no cost to current WellCare Medicaid members. KHP, a program of the University of Kentucky's Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK CERH), is coordinating the distribution in its 32-county service area in eastern Kentucky.

"We understand that many individuals have fallen behind on preventive care during the pandemic and as a result of the high cost of gas," said Dr. Frances Feltner, director of the UK CERH and principal investigator of KHP. "This program is going to help a lot of people get back on track."

The project is supported by a $15,000 donation from WellCare.

"Lack of transportation is often a barrier to care for our members, especially those who live in more rural areas," said Corey Ewing, plan president and CEO of WellCare. "We don't want the inability to fill their tanks to keep them from making and keeping what in some cases can be live-saving appointments."

KHP community health workers will identify clients in their 32-county service area of eastern Kentucky who have fallen behind on preventive care, and who are WellCare Medicaid members, to connect them with this opportunity.

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WellCare of Kentucky provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex needs primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans across the state. WellCare is a wholly subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives. For more information, please visit wellcare.com/kentucky.

Residents of rural Kentucky have unusually high levels of certain diseases. These include cancer, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, and diabetes. Lifestyle choices, environmental factors, inadequate health insurance and general lack of understanding of the healthcare system are often cited as contributing to this condition. Kentucky Homeplace was created in 1994 by the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health to help address these issues. Based in Hazard, Ky., Kentucky Homeplace's 32-county community health worker initiative has linked tens of thousands of rural Kentuckians with medical, social and environmental services they otherwise might have gone without. For more information, visit kyruralhealth.org.

The University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health was established by state legislation in 1990 to address health disparities in rural Kentucky and the unique challenges faced by our communities. The mission was and still is today to improve the health and wellbeing of rural Kentuckians. For more than three decades, the Center has partnered with communities, providers, students and individuals to provide health professions education, health policy research, health care service and community engagement toward reaching this mission.  For more information, visit kyruralhealth.org.

SOURCE WellCare of Kentucky