Pam Bondi: WellCare Settlement Means $54 Million for Florida

Florida will receive $54 million as part of a federal and eight-state settlement of lawsuits alleging fraud with WellCare Health Plans Inc., Attorney General Pam Bondi announced.

This settlement results from collaboration among states and the federal government to ensure that Medicaid funds go only toward payments for legitimate services, Bondi stated in a release.

WellCare, like every other organization that receives Medicaid dollars, is responsible for accurate accounting and only submitting genuine claims to the Medicaid program. We have worked diligently to recover money on behalf of Floridians.

The settlement follows an $80 million agreement in 2009 between the federal government, Florida attorney general and WellCare that required WellCare to pay $40 million in civil forfeiture and $40 million in restitution for damages to Florida Medicaid and the Florida Healthy Kids program.