ST. LOUIS, April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) today announced that Centurion of Mississippi, LLC ("Centurion"), a joint venture between Centene Corporation and MHM Services, Inc., has been selected by the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) to enter into final negotiations to provide correctional healthcare services to over 17,000 inmates housed at facilities throughout the state. This award is pending approval by Mississippi's Personal Service Contract Review Board.  

Centurion began providing healthcare services to the MDOC in July 2015 under a one-year emergency contract. Under the new contract award, Centurion will begin providing services in July 2016 for a three-year period. Additionally, the MDOC has the option to extend for two additional one-year renewal periods.

"We are proud of the positive impacts that Centurion has been able to make over the past several months by working in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Corrections and their dedicated staff. We look forward to continuing the important work we are doing with this population, while at the same time we also recognize the importance of maintaining sound financial discipline on behalf of the state and its residents," said Steven H. Wheeler, CEO of Centurion.

"We are pleased to extend Centene's relationship with the state of Mississippi. We view this as another opportunity to enhance the communities we serve by maintaining a focus on the individual and working as a trusted colleague with our state partners," said Jesse N. Hunter, Executive Vice President, Products, for Centene.

Including Mississippi, Centurion holds six state contracts to provide correctional healthcare services. Other states include Massachusetts, Minnesota, Tennessee, Vermont, and Florida, which will begin operations in the second quarter of 2016.

About Centene
Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise that provides a portfolio of services to government sponsored healthcare programs, focusing on 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 (LTC), in addition to other state-sponsored/hybrid programs, Medicare (including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly known as "Part D"), as well as programs with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  Centene 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 management, care management software, correctional healthcare services, dental benefits management, in-home health services, life and health management, managed vision, pharmacy benefits management, specialty pharmacy and telehealth services.

Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about Centene, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website, http://www.centene.com/investors.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/centurion-selected-to-provide-comprehensive-correctional-healthcare-in-mississippi-300247504.html

SOURCE Centene Corporation