# Meridian

> Meridian is a Detroit-based managed-care company that administers government-sponsored health coverage in Michigan, principally through Medicaid, while affiliated brands cover Medicare, dual-eligible and Health Insurance Marketplace members. Founded by David and Shery Cotton in 1997 as Health Plan of Michigan, it grew into a multi-state operator with a pharmacy benefit manager before WellCare bought the business for $2.5 billion in 2018; Meridian is now part of Centene and competes through a combination of local provider relationships, community partnerships and national insurance infrastructure.

- **Founded:** 1997
- **Headquarters:** Detroit, United States
- **Founders:** David B. Cotton (Co-founder, former chairman and CEO), Shery Cotton (Co-founder)
- **Team size:** Meridian's 2024 community report counted 1,900+ Meridian and corporate Centene employees in Michigan; LinkedIn associated roughly 1,400 employees with the Meridian page in 2026.
- **Products:** Meridian Medicaid, Wellcare by Meridian, Ambetter from Meridian, My Health Pays, Member and provider tools
- **Notable:** Grew from Health Plan of Michigan in 1997 to more than 700,000 members and 45,000 providers across six states by 2015., Sold to WellCare for approximately $2.5 billion in cash in 2018 after reaching about 1.1 million members and expected annual revenue above $4.3 billion., Selected for Michigan Medicaid and dual-eligible contracts announced in 2024.

## Products & services

- **Meridian Medicaid** — Michigan Medicaid managed-care coverage, including provider access, prescription coverage, preventive care, care management and member support.
- **Wellcare by Meridian** — A highly integrated dual-eligible special needs plan for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, replacing MeridianComplete from January 2026.
- **Ambetter from Meridian** — Individual and family coverage sold through the Health Insurance Marketplace in Michigan.
- **My Health Pays** — A rewards program that gives members usable rewards for completing eligible wellness activities and screenings.
- **Member and provider tools** — Portals, provider search, claims and eligibility workflows, health education, care coordination, nurse advice and provider data tools.
- **Start Smart for Your Baby** — Pregnancy and postpartum support, complemented in Michigan by doula access and programs aimed at maternal and infant disparities.

## Achievements

- Grew from Health Plan of Michigan in 1997 to more than 700,000 members and 45,000 providers across six states by 2015.
- Sold to WellCare for approximately $2.5 billion in cash in 2018 after reaching about 1.1 million members and expected annual revenue above $4.3 billion.
- Selected for Michigan Medicaid and dual-eligible contracts announced in 2024.
- Held NCQA Medicaid plan accreditation, Long-Term Services and Supports distinction and Health Equity accreditation in Michigan.
- Won a 2024 Bronze Stevie Award for achievement in customer-service automation.
- Named a finalist in the 2024 Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Industry Awards for customer-experience operational excellence.
- Reported 229 community events across 32 Michigan counties in 2024, reaching more than 146,000 attendees.
- Reported more than 65,000 meals provided through food-bank partnerships and $763,000 contributed to community organizations, events and initiatives in 2024.
- Previously received CMS Innovation Center support for Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns and earned Pinnacle Awards in 2014 and 2021.
- Has been recognized five times in the CIO 100 program for information-technology work.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Meridian announced provider and prior-authorization updates, including changes effective October 1, 2026.
- **2026-07** — For eligible members with qualifying diagnoses, certain continuous glucose monitor supply claims began adjudicating without traditional manual prior authorization.
- **2026-05** — Meridian and partners celebrated expanded food pantries in Branch County and Three Rivers as part of a $1 million multiyear food-access commitment.
- **2026-04** — Meridian and Samaritas assembled 95 bicycles for young people in foster care across Michigan.
- **2026-02** — Meridian supported the Detroit Public Schools Community District All City Visual Arts Exhibition, featuring work from more than 137 students.
- **2026-01** — Wellcare by Meridian launched as a highly integrated D-SNP, replacing the former MeridianComplete Medicare-Medicaid Plan.
- **2025-06** — A partnership with Eye Care for Detroit brought vision services to homebound Detroit residents.

## Links

- Website: https://www.mimeridian.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/meridian-health-plan
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/MeridianHP
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/meridian_hp/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeridianHealthPlan

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/meridian
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-22