CareSource and Spark Pediatrics Partner to Serve Florida Medicaid Enrollees

Partnership unites two innovative, mission-driven healthcare companies as ImagineCare

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CareSource, a nationally recognized managed care organization, and Spark Pediatrics, the leading provider of prescribed pediatric extended centers (PPEC or Medical Daycare) in both Florida and nationally, announced today the launch of ImagineCare -- a partnership to serve Florida Medicaid enrollees as a Provider Service Network (PSN). ImagineCare is an innovative managed care organization focused on deploying a provider-driven, community-centric, value-based care model for enrollees with medical complexities.

ImagineCare intends to participate in the procurement to serve Floridians who are part of the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program administered by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. At the heart of the partnership is the mission to address social determinants of health that will directly improve the lives of vulnerable Floridians, including strong alignment with Hope Florida’s Pathways to Prosperity program that connects people to organizations empowered to help with all SDoH needs, leading them on an individualized path to prosperity, economic self-sufficiency and hope.

ImagineCare brings together two mission driven organizations that have a steeped history in delivering best-in-class care for the underserved populations. CareSource is a nationally recognized managed care organization with more than 30 years of Medicaid managed care experience, a nonprofit mission, and an established reputation as a leader in quality and operational excellence. In addition, CareSource is committed to enrollee-centric care and value-based provider partnerships, and -- through its subsidiary, The Columbus Organization – has a steeped Florida history of similarly providing community-based services to Floridians.

Together through ImagineCare, CareSource and Spark intend to elevate Florida’s healthcare delivery model through operational ease for providers and a more person- and family-centered approach that empowers all enrollees to improve their everyday activities and lives.

“ImagineCare will clearly further our mission to transform care delivery for the most vulnerable populations in Florida,” said Jeff Soffen, Chief Executive Officer of Spark Pediatrics. “CareSource’s operational excellence and its leadership in focusing on social determinants of health will bring much needed care and innovation for this underserved population. We envision a world where all people, regardless of their medical condition, have access to the care and support they need to thrive, and are excited to bring this partnership to life in service of that mission.”

Further bolstering ImagineCare healthcare delivery is the leadership of The Columbus Organization, a subsidiary of CareSource. Columbus participates in a Florida Medicaid Waiver program, Consumer Directed Care Plus, which provides the opportunity for individuals to improve the quality of their lives by being empowered to make choices about the supports and services that will meet their needs and help them reach their goals.

ImagineCare will combine Spark and Columbus’ capabilities and understanding of the Florida healthcare delivery system with CareSource’s operational proficiency, its history as a recognized healthcare innovator and its industry leadership in expanding access to quality care beyond the four walls of the doctor’s office.

“As a nonprofit organization, we focus first on the people and the communities we serve, not shareholders,” said Erhardt Preitauer, President & CEO of CareSource. “With ImagineCare, we have an opportunity to be an innovative, sustainable partner to the state that will make a lasting difference in the health and well-being of Floridians while driving better quality and outcomes.”

ImagineCare is committed to improving the health of Floridians by leveraging local physician experience to inform decision-making, aligning incentives, using data more effectively and reducing friction between the delivery and the financing of healthcare.

“With ImagineCare, we are investing directly in Florida, in our communities, and in our enrollees,” said Larry Smart, Chief Financial Officer at CareSource. “As a full-time Florida resident for more than 30 years working in our state’s managed care industry, I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting announcement.”

If you are a provider interested in learning more about ImagineCare, please email [e-mail].

About ImagineCare

ImagineCare is a joint venture between CareSource and Spark Pediatrics combining both organization's mission-driven approaches for a lasting difference in the health of enrollees and communities in Florida. Supported by CareSource’s 30+ years of managed health plan experience and Spark Pediatric’s 12 years of Florida experience providing in-home healthcare services and clinic-based therapies, ImagineCare intends to offer Florida Medicaid managed care recipients comprehensive health coverage and provide access to high-quality providers while delivering compassion and care.

About Spark Pediatrics

Spark Pediatrics is the best-in-class provider of care for children with medical complexities. Spark is the country’s largest provider of Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (“PPEC”) centers, also known as Medical Daycare, an innovative community-based care center that provides a team-based, quality-driven, and empathetic environment for children with medical complexities to receive critical skilled nursing while promoting interpersonal socialization. Each clinic is staffed with pediatric-specialized nurses and complex care therapists supporting Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapy, as well as Applied Behavioral Analysis. Spark Pediatrics currently operates as the largest PPEC operator in Florida and Texas and serves as a strategic partner to hospital systems, health plans, pediatricians, specialists, and community organizations to deliver the best outcomes for children with medical complexities and their families. Spark is backed by Altitude Capital and Town Hall Ventures, both of whom specialize in funding the next generation of innovation for underserved populations.

About CareSource

CareSource is a nonprofit, nationally recognized managed care organization with over 2.3 million enrollees. Since its founding in 1989, CareSource administers one of the largest Medicaid managed care plans in the U.S. The organization offers health insurance, including Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace and Medicare products. As a mission-driven organization, CareSource is transforming health care with innovative programs that address the social determinants of health, health equity, prevention and access to care.

CareSource Florida Co. was formed to offer programs and products in the state of Florida.

For more information about CareSource, visit us at www.caresource.com, or follow us Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

About The Columbus Organization

A subsidiary of CareSource, The Columbus Organization empowers individuals to realize their meaningful-life goals through nationally recognized care/support coordination, professional clinical staffing, and quality improvement services for the intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) or behavioral needs community. The Company delivers an unmatched depth of expertise, breadth of resources, diversity of thinking, and dedication to finding the most appropriate, personalized solutions for its customers.