ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 20, 2009-- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), in collaboration with the Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare, today recognized 16 physicians with 2009 Physician Summit Awards. The annual award program acknowledges physicians for providing quality care and clinical excellence to Centene’s health plan members.

"Centene is pleased to continue this award program for a second year,” said Mary Mason, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Centene. “The program is just one way we can show our appreciation to the physicians we partner with for the exceptional care they provide our members throughout the country.”

Kathy Bradley-Wells, President, Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare, stated, “We are proud to support a program that recognizes the important role our physicians play in providing access to quality care and improving health outcomes for our members.”

The winners of the annual Physician Summit Awards demonstrate exemplary performance in the following areas: follow up after emergency room visits, routine preventive and well care services for both adults and children, and establishing a “medical home” for new enrollees by promoting the member-primary care physician relationship. Centene recognizes one physician per service region for each of its health plans.

Following are the 2009 Physician Summit Award winners:

Buckeye Community Health Plan-Ohio:

- Laura H Waldron, MD, Private Practice; North West Region

- Lisa Marie Schroeder, MD, Barberton Area Family Practice; East Central Region

Managed Health Services-Indiana:

- Ashraf H Hanna, MD, Private Practice; North East Region

- Steven Farmer, MD, Private Practice; East Central Region

- William Sutton, MD, Private Practice; South West Region

Managed Health Services-Wisconsin:

- Mohammad Qasim Khan, MD, Southside Pediatric Associates/Family Medical Clinic; Milwaukee County

- Gina Everson, MD, Fond Du Lac Regional Clinic; Fond Du Lac County

- Carey Cameron, MD, West Bend Clinic; Washington County

Peach State Health Plan-Georgia:

- Vijay Arora, MD, Lilburn Pediatrics; Atlanta Region

- Robyn Mann Johnson, MD, Private Practice; Central Region

- Eugene Kallay II, MD, Primary Pediatrics of Macon; South West Region

Superior HealthPlan-Texas:

- Harry Hernandez, DO, Alamo Osteopathic Physician & Sgn; Bexar Region

- Arturo C Casillas, MD, Pediatric Group of El Paso; El Paso Region

- Francisco O Cuya, MD, Private Practice; Nueces Region

- Michael Ward, MD, Austin Regional Clinic; Travis Region

University Health Plans-New Jersey:

- John Bucek, MD, Somerset Family Practice

Centene’s newer health plans in Arizona, Florida and South Carolina did not participate in the 2009 Physician Summit Awards, as sufficient provider data was not available to meet the selection criteria.

About Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation is a leading multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care, Long-Term Care and Medicare (Special Needs Plans). The Company operates local health plans and offers a wide range of health insurance solutions to individuals and the rising number of uninsured Americans. It also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health, life and health management, managed vision, telehealth services, pharmacy benefits management and medication adherence. Information regarding Centene is available via the Internet at www.centene.com.

About The Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare

The Centene Foundation for Quality Healthcare is a non-profit private foundation dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare in the United States. The Foundation serves as a resource to identify and support innovative approaches to improving and increasing the quality of and access to healthcare for low-income individuals and families. This is accomplished through an inspired philanthropic giving plan that seeks to promote efforts and activities that identify and address core causes of unequal access and treatment in healthcare. For additional information, please visit www.centenefoundation.org.

Source: Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation
Sandy McBride, 314-725-4477
Senior Director, Corporate Communications