ST. LOUIS, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) today announced that its wholly owned Florida subsidiary, Sunshine State Health Plan (Sunshine Health) has earned accreditation and received a Commendable rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).  A Commendable rating is awarded to organizations with well-established service and clinical programs that meet NCQA's rigorous requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement.

"Achieving an accreditation status of Commendable from NCQA is a sign that a health plan is serious about quality," said Margaret E. O'Kane, president of NCQA.

"NCQA Health Plan Accreditation evaluates the quality of healthcare that plans provide to their members," said Sunshine Health's President and CEO Chris Paterson. "We are very proud to have received a Commendable status, as we continuously make it a priority to offer our members the highest quality healthcare programs and services."

In 2012, Sunshine Health transitioned to TruCare, a Casenet, Inc. medical management product that further enables innovative utilization, case, and disease management integration. Sunshine State Health Plan is the first Centene health plan utilizing TruCare to achieve NCQA accreditation.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality by providing information through the web and the media in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

About 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 State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care and long-term care, in addition to 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. The Company operates local health plans and offers a range of health insurance solutions. It 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. More information regarding Centene is available at www.centene.com.

SOURCE Centene Corporation