LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 15, 2018) — WellCare of Kentucky will begin recruiting 40 employees this month to support its state-of-the-art Care Center located in Hazard, Ky.
“Our Care Center is more than a call center,” said WellCare of Kentucky President Bill Jones. “This is a place where Kentuckians can talk to fellow Kentuckians as we sort through changing health policy together. WellCare is committed to Kentucky HEALTH and ensuring that members have access to needed resources as they navigate new Medicaid changes.”
WellCare, which was named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” earlier this year, currently employs approximately 240 employees in its six offices in the commonwealth. With the opening of Care Center in Hazard, WellCare will expand its workforce by more than 15 percent in the state. The Care Center will be located in WellCare’s current Hazard office, which will be expanded and remodeled for this purpose.
“The announcement of WellCare’s new Care Center in Hazard is exciting news for the commonwealth on multiple fronts,” said Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin. “The company’s economic investment in Southeast Kentucky will create 40 excellent jobs for the region, and will provide direct support for our innovative new Kentucky HEALTH waiver. WellCare specialists will be on the front lines of connecting Medicaid recipients to community engagement opportunities and improved health outcomes.”
Recruitment will begin on June 26, with a job fair hosted by WellCare, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and One East Kentucky. The job fair will be held 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Kentucky Career Center, 412 Roy Campbell Drive, Hazard, Ky. 41701. The jobs will pay an average salary exceeding that of the median household income in Perry County. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a median household income of $31,578 in 2016 for Perry County.
“With the Care Center, we will have Kentuckians helping Kentuckians to manage their health coverage, especially during the upcoming changes for Medicaid,” said Jared Arnett, executive director of Shaping Our Appalachian Region. “When you need help with your insurance, talking to someone who sounds like you and lives where you live is a real reassurance – it reinforces a sense of community. Locating the Care Center in Hazard is a smart move for WellCare and we are proud to support this new employment center.”
Kentucky HEALTH is a state initiative with significant changes for some Medicaid members. One of its goals is to encourage work, job training and other community engagement activities in order to promote the skills or experience necessary to secure jobs that include private health insurance.
“At WellCare, we want to help ensure people keep their healthcare coverage as long as they qualify for it. We don’t want someone to lose coverage because they were confused about how to report their job training, or because they didn’t understand that they now owe a premium. We call it ‘Care Center’ because we care and want to offer support,” said Jones.
Care Center will coordinate with WellCare Works, which connects members with WellCare’s community liaisons to assist members in receiving needed social services that may prevent them from obtaining employment. Whether that means helping someone find the clothes they need for a job interview, or connecting them with General Educational Development (GED) testing opportunities, these programs are developed based on research that shows a strong link between improved health and social connectivity.
WellCare members will also have access to an online platform assisting them through the job search process, including job skill matching, resume development, interview training, networking and online coaching.
As of March 31, 2018, WellCare serves approximately 459,000 Medicaid members, 12,000 Medicare Advantage plan members and 22,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members in Kentucky.
To learn more about how we care for Kentuckians, watch Brandi’s story at http://youtu.be/YwOw5EgeSYo.
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