NEW YORK and TAMPA, Fla., July 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WellCare of New York, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE:WCG), announced today its collaboration with the New York Mets to provide Junior Mets Baseball Clinics for hundreds of at-risk youth ages 8-14 from across the five boroughs. The summer clinics offer skills training, mentorship and an unforgettable major league experience for inner-city children.

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"The Junior Mets Baseball Clinics give young ballplayers the opportunity to learn from the best - but more importantly, they show them that with hard work and commitment their dreams are attainable," said Ryan Fogarty, WellCare's market vice president for New York and Connecticut. "WellCare is committed to giving back to the community and proud to partner with the Mets to provide this unique opportunity for children who may not always get the support they need to succeed."

The clinics are run by Mets players and coaches, and include stations for hitting, fielding and pitching. The first clinic was held April 30 at Citi Field. The next clinic will be held July 29 at Citi Field. The remaining clinics will be held at Hinton Park in Queens at noon on August 27 and September 17.

"The Mets are proud to partner with WellCare of New York on such an important initiative to help our local youth remain healthy while learning and enjoying the game of baseball," said Wes Engram, the Mets' vice president of corporate sales. "We look forward to partnering on this type of platform for many years to come."

Through its collaboration with the New York Mets, WellCare of New York will also have a presence at Citi Field during select home games to share health plan information and healthy living tips with fans to help them live better, healthier lives. In addition, WellCare will feature Mets players at upcoming health-related events at its Welcome Rooms in Jackson Heights and Washington Heights.

For more information about the Junior Mets Baseball Clinics, email community@nymets.com or call (718) 565-4321.

As of March 31, 2016, WellCare serves approximately 118,000 Medicaid members, 41,000 Medicare Advantage members, 55,000 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan members and 7,000 Managed Long Term Care members in New York.

About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex medical needs. The company serves approximately 3.7 million members nationwide as of March 31, 2016. For more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.

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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.