Florida Blue, WellCare give to Irma recovery

Florida Blue is donating $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts across the state in the wake of Hurricane Irma, focusing on areas of the state that have been hardest hit by the storm, according to a company news release.

The company intends to contribute to the general funds of local, regional and statewide organizations serving people in affected areas, that will then decide how best to allocate the funds.

Florida Blue has also implemented several shortterm policy changes related to premium payments and claim filings by extending due dates, extending the time frame for filing claims and not canceling plans for non-payment until Oct. 15.

WellCare donated $1 million to the Florida Disaster Fund, which was activated by Governor Scott to aid those impacted by Hurricane Irma. Orlando Health has eight locations in Central Florida with plans to add new centers

Winter Park Memorial Hospital has poured the foundation and begun construction of its Nicholson Pavilion, according to a Florida Hospital news release. The five-story, Mediterraneaninspired pavilion is set to open in 2019 and will add up to 80 private patient rooms to the hospital.

Florida Hospital has rolled in a new NICU bed for premature babies called Babyleo TN500 IncuWarmer, made by German company Dräger. It’s the bed’s first commercial use in the United States, the hospital said. federal grant for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.

The program serves almost 42 percent of U.S. counties with high rates of low birth weight infants, teen births, families living in poverty or infant mortality. Three-fourths of families participating in the program had household incomes at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, according to HRSA.