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Buckeye Health Plan Makes Contributions to Ohio Army National Guard Partners in Response to COVID-19

Date: 05/20/20

Buckeye Health Plan, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), today announced contributions totaling $60,000 to support Ohio ARMY National Guard’s partners while National Guard members assist Ohio’s communities during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Ohio ARMY National Guard members are working to support initiatives such as distributing food bank resources to impacted communities, planning for medical surge capacity, supplementing prison medical healthcare staff, and collecting personal protective equipment.

Contributions will be made to the following Ohio ARMY National Guard partner organizations:

  • Northeast Ohio Foundation for Patriotism (NEOPAT), located in Rocky River, which supports service men and women who return to civilian life with needs not directly addressed by existing government programs. NEOPAT also supports immediate family members of those service men and women that are overcoming financial hardships and dealing with life-changing injury or the loss of their relative. “We can’t begin to express our appreciation to Buckeye Health Plan and Centene Corporation for their generosity in helping NEOPAT assist those military members and their families who have been serving so courageously during this pandemic,” said Rick DeChant, NEOPAT Director of Strategic Initiatives. “This contribution will greatly assist NEOPAT in those efforts.”
  • Heroes In Action, located in Toledo, whose mission is to support our service members, veterans and their families. They provide care packages to service members overseas, deliver food baskets, transport veterans to appointments, and supply homeless veterans being placed in apartments with furniture. 
  • USO of Central and Southern Ohio, located in Grove City, which provides multiple resources to service members and their families. Resources include Bundles of Love totes (filled with all items necessary for a newborn baby, diapers, wipes, bibs and much more) and USO Military Grants, which are intended to promote morale, welfare and recreation activities in support of our military and their family members. “We are so grateful to Buckeye Health Plan for their amazing generosity in supporting our USO of Central and Southern Ohio. Our local service members are working long and hard in support of this Pandemic, and the USO of Central and Southern Ohio is doing our part to support them during this time. We couldn’t carry out our mission without wonderful partners like Buckeye Health Plan,” said Sherry Ems, Executive Director. “Thank you so much for helping us be the “Force behind the Forces”.

“As a military veteran, I know how effective our service men and women are at moving resources into communities and activating on emergency response measures,” said Buckeye President and CEO Steve Province. “It’s a privilege for Buckeye to support the important work of the Ohio ARMY National Guard as part of our COVID-19 response to the needs of Ohio.”

“I am pleased to see grant funds from Buckeye Health Plan supporting our servicemen and women and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said State Senator Stephanie Kunze (R-Hilliard), representing the 16th Ohio Senate district. “I am grateful for the Ohio ARMY National Guard and USO of Central and Southern Ohio who have been working to support families, communities, and healthcare facilities. The USO offers resources such as grants to support recreational and morale-boosting programs and Operation: Bundles of Love, which provides service members and their families receive necessary supplies for their newborn babies. These initiatives will ensure that the needs of these brave men and women are met as they work to meet the needs of others.”

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About Centene Corporation 
Centene Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, is a leading multi-national healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach – with local brands and local teams - to provide fully integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace, the TRICARE program, and individuals in correctional facilities. The Company also serves several international markets, and contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide a variety of specialty services focused on treating the whole person. Centene focuses on long-term growth and the development of its people, systems and capabilities so that it can better serve its members, providers, local communities, and government partners.

Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the company, 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.

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You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ materially from projections, estimates, or other forward-looking statements due to a variety of important factors, variables and events including but not limited to: uncertainty as to our expected financial performance following completion of the WellCare Acquisition; the possibility that the expected synergies and value creation from the WellCare Acquisition will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that unexpected costs will be incurred in connection with the integration of the WellCare Acquisition or that the integration of WellCare will be more difficult or time consuming than expected; unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the WellCare Acquisition; the inability to retain key personnel; disruption from the completion of the WellCare Acquisition, including potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships with customers, employees, suppliers or regulators, making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; the risk that, following the WellCare Acquisition, we may not be able to effectively manage our expanded operations; our ability to accurately predict and effectively manage health benefits and other operating expenses and reserves; competition; membership and revenue declines or unexpected trends; changes in healthcare practices, new technologies, and advances in medicine; increased healthcare costs; changes in economic, political or market conditions; changes in federal or state laws or regulations, including changes with respect to income tax reform or government healthcare programs as well as changes with respect to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, collectively referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and any regulations enacted thereunder that may result from changing political conditions or judicial actions, including the ultimate outcome in "Texas v. 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