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WellCare Gives $50,000 to Support The 18th Annual Family Café and The Annual Governor's Summit on Disabilities June 10-12 in Orlando, Florida

TAMPA, Fla., June 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the care and services they need to live better, healthier lives, WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE:WCG) and its Staywell Health Plan will serve as the premier sponsor of The 18th Annual Family Café and The Annual Governor's Summit on Disabilities taking place June 10-12 in Orlando, Florida. WellCare contributed $50,000 in support of the summit - the nation's largest statewide conference on disabilities with more than 7,000 participants expected to attend.

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The 18th Annual Family Café and The Annual Governor's Summit on Disabilities seeks to connect those with disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers, with state agencies, advocacy groups, employers and other service providers to promote networking and education about available services. More than 3.2 million Floridians have a disability, or approximately one out of every five people, according to the U.S. Census. People with disabilities are more likely to be in poorer overall health, have less access to health care, and are more susceptible to preventable health problems, studies show.

"WellCare and Staywell have been serving disabled Floridians for nearly 20 years, and this has given us a strong understanding of their needs and challenges," said Tracy Schmidt, WellCare of Florida's vice president of field sales and marketing and a Family Café board member. "We are proud to continue our support of The Family Café and its work to help educate and empower people to make the best possible care decisions for themselves and their loves ones."

The Family Café has been connecting Floridians with disabilities and their families with information, training and networking opportunities since 1998. The Annual Family Café is the organization's signature event and includes dozens of breakout sessions, a series of engaging keynote presentations and an exhibit hall that showcases dozens of vendors. This is the ninth year that WellCare has supported the event.

The Annual Family Café also includes The Annual Governor's Summit on Disabilities, where Floridians with disabilities can engage in dialogue with elected leaders and policymakers. Gov. Rick Scott is scheduled to speak at 6 p.m. on June 10.

"It's so important that people with disabilities and their families have access to information and resources, and the chance to connect with each other in a friendly environment," said Lori Fahey, president and CEO of The Family Café. "That's what we provide every year at The Annual Family Café, and we are grateful to WellCare for all of the help they give us in making it happen."

To learn more about the Family Café and how it assists those with disabilities and their families, visit www.FamilyCafe.net.

To learn more about how WellCare and Staywell care for their members, watch Jeremy's story at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.

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. The company serves approximately 3.7 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2016. 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.

For further information: WellCare Health Plans, Inc., Heather Urquides, (813) 206-6777, heather.urquides@wellcare.com; The Family Café, Jeremy Countryman, 888-309-2233, jcountryman@familycafe.net