WellCare to pay $137.5 million

TAMPA — WellCare Health Plans Inc. has agreed to pay $137.5 million to settle four lawsuits against it, the Department of Justice announced today in a news release.

The lawsuits alleged that Tampa-based WellCare, which provides managed health care services for about 2.6 million Medicare and Medicaid patients, engaged in schemes to submit false claims to Medicare and Medicaid programs.

In the settlement, announced by the U.S. Attorney's office for the Middle District of Florida, WellCare will pay the U.S. and nine states a total of $137.5 million plus interest in fixed payments over three years.