Newark-Based Health Care Company Rolls Out Vaccine Mandates

NEWARK, NJ — A health care company with a headquarters in Newark has rolled out a series of coronavirus vaccine mandates for its employees.

The parent company of WellCare of New Jersey – the Fortune 500-ranking Centene Corporation – recently announced it will be requiring all employees who conduct in-home visits or clinical facility visits to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

There will also be a vaccination policy for workers who don’t deal with the public, as well as future employees, spokespeople said:

“Additionally, the company is requiring all non-member facing employees to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination or participate in regular COVID-19 testing and will also require vaccination as a general condition of employment for all new employees beginning Oct. 1, 2021.”

WellCare of New Jersey provides government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors and others in the state, primarily through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans. The company has a headquarters in Newark. It serves 15,941 members in Essex County.

WellCare’s latest announcement comes on the heels of Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive order, which requires workers in many health care facilities and high-risk congregate settings to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or face regular testing.

• See related article: Workers At University Hospital Included In NJ Vaccine Mandate

“As a leading Medicaid provider for our state’s most vulnerable residents, we want to put the health of our members first and are committed to ensuring they feel protected and have peace of mind knowing that those who are caring for them – either in their homes or in a clinical setting – have been vaccinated against COVID-19,” said John Kirchner, WellCare’s plan president and CEO in New Jersey.

Spokespeople added:

“As the delta variant continues to spread across the U.S., WellCare of New Jersey continues to expand upon other key outreach programs it has supported throughout the pandemic. These initiatives are specifically focused on promoting awareness of COVID-19 vaccinations to encourage members, employees, and under-resourced communities to receive the vaccine. Efforts include care management, public awareness campaigns, and boots-on-the-ground vaccination efforts across the state.”

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