National Urban League and Centene Partner on Health Initiative

Centene will Receive League's Innovator Award for Health


NEW YORK (July 19, 2012) -- The National Urban League today announced that Centene Corporation, a national leader in the healthcare services field, will receive the organization’s first national award for health.

The award, to be presented later this year, recognizes Centene’s locally-based approach to serving vulnerable communities and its achievement in developing innovative patient programs that reduce the number of premature births and babies born with low birth weight.  Through its Start Smart for Your Baby Program, Centene’s state health plans coordinate healthcare services for more than 60,000 pregnant women annually.

“One of our greatest challenges in promoting healthy pregnancies is that low-income women often do not qualify for Medicaid until after they are already pregnant," said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. "Centene’s Start Smart works quickly to deliver treatments and education that promote healthy pregnancy and a healthy birth weight for babies,...the Start Smart program is an example of innovation, leadership and commitment that is not only worthy of recognition but more importantly helps communities in need across the country.”

The Project Wellness: Teen Pregnancy initiative will integrate Centene’s Program resource material into the National Urban League's Community Health Worker program to train expectant mothers on healthy pregnancies in three key states during the program’s first year.

Centene currently serves over 2.1 million individuals in 16 states.  The company has been approved to expand services into two additional states.   “It is an honor for Centene Corporation to receive this special recognition from the National Urban League.," Michael Neidorff, Chairman and CEO of Centene Corporation said. "We take seriously the fact that our members rely on us every day for something as important as their healthcare needs and the health and well being of their family members and loved ones. The National Urban League is an advocate for empowering and educating individuals so that they can make informed health decisions and for supporting quality, community-based models of care. We look forward to continuing our health partnership with the Urban League in the months and years to come.”

“For nearly 30 years, Centene has worked with community-based organizations, advocates and partners across the country achieving positive outcomes for their members, focusing on those who need it most," Morial said.  "They are a great health partner for the National Urban League and they share our commitment to building stronger, healthier communities. We look forward to continuing our close relationship with Centene in the months and years to come.”

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About the National Urban League
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide. For more information, visit www.nul.org.

About the Centene Corporation
Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and related services to the rising number of under-insured and uninsured individuals.  Many receive benefits provided under Medicaid, including the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care, long-term care, other state-sponsored programs and Medicare (Special Needs Plans). Centene's CeltiCare subsidiary offers states unique "exchange-based" and other cost-effective coverage solutions for low-income populations. Centene also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health, life and health management, managed vision, telehealth services, and pharmacy benefits management. For more information, visit www.centene.com.



CONTACT:     Teresa Candori
                       212-558-5433