WellCare: A Welcome New Ally Comes to Town

By S. Kurtzer

If you live in the Lakewood/Jackson/Toms River area, chances are you are pretty familiar with the organizations and entities that are here to help our community: the movers and shakers who work hard to improve things community-wide. As a veteran Lakewood resident, I thought I did too.

That’s why it came as a surprise to me to see the name WellCare pop up a lot lately.

I first noticed WellCare in an advertisement, as a sponsor for Bikur Cholim’s recent successful Women & Wellness Health Expo. I then heard from a well-informed friend that WellCare representatives have been quietly working behind-the-scenes with communal organizations, networking to help them gain access to available micro-grants. Seems they have also been in contact with community leaders, health providers, and individuals to get a better understanding of greater Lakewood’s medical and insurance coverage needs.

My curiosity was piqued. As far as I knew, WellCare was an insurance company focused on providing government-sponsored managed care coverage through Medicaid programs. Or in other words, a professional but small and friendly alternative to the more well-known big corporate providers. Now at the end of the day, any insurance company’s ultimate goal is to increase enrollment. I would think they would want to make a splash, but they have actually been quite low-profile. I made a mental note to visit the WellCare booth at the Women & Wellness Health Expo to see if I could get a better handle on WellCare. After all, two of my married daughters are participants in the Jersey Care program: maybe WellCare would be a good choice for them.

At the Fountain Ballroom, the Expo was actually so engaging and informative that I nearly forgot to check out the WellCare booth, but eventually, the corner position made it hard to miss. I was impressed at the appearance of the booth and the variety of branded tchotchkes they offered, but I knew that doesn’t necessarily indicate substance.

The very pleasant and outgoing woman presiding over the booth introduced herself as Molly. We chatted politely for a minute and before I knew it Molly was asking me questions – not prying or nosey, but really trying to get an idea about the community’s preferences, habits, patterns and so on.

“I definitely see that people here are very savvy about identifying quality providers and accessing care,” Molly said. She was obviously impressed by what she had learned in her encounters that evening.

And then, it was my turn to be impressed. It seems that WellCare is a bigger and more experienced carrier than I had realized. They’re a nationwide company with more than 6 million enrolled. I was impressed to learn that they place a huge emphasis on getting involved in the communities they service, like helping people access specialized care. In Lakewood’s case, they have grasped the significance of a booming population and the need for quality pediatricians, OB/GYNs, internal medicine, mental health professionals and so on. Perhaps most importantly, they work on connecting the dots, getting everyone’s favorite practitioners on board while looking towards the future to address concerns that our community shares.

Molly also let me know about an emerging new option for parents: Nemours/DuPont Children’s Hospital. From my own experience, I recalled that Refuah Resources once sent me there to use a recommended specialist, and I know that Dr. Shanik considered it a top hospital. I also knew that although it’s located in Delaware, DuPont is only a few minutes further from Lakewood than CHOP is.

Molly informed me that DuPont is a nationally recognized award-winning pediatric hospital with many leading specialists. WellCare has secured a contract with DuPont that would give WellCare members in-network coverage to the hospital and physicians. Well aware of the looming changes in providers’ participation in other popular carriers, this seemed to me like a breath of fresh air.

I wouldn’t say that the WellCare booth was the highlight of my evening at the Women & Wellness Health Expo, not by a long shot. I definitely gained an awareness of the importance of screening for my own health (and actually made an appointment!) But the WellCare booth was definitely the biggest eye-opener. I’d say they are a very refreshing and welcome alternative for our community.