KARE Rx Team

Dr. Kiran C. Patel Cardiologist, Philanthropist, Community Leader, Entrepreneur, Hotelier “Imagine the number of lives you’re going to touch…” - Dr. Kiran C Patel / TBT, 9/25/17

Recently named Floridian of the Year 2018 by Florida Trend Magazine, since the early 1980’s, Dr. Kiran C. Patel has been taking the entire state of Florida by storm. Dr. Patel is a prominent leader among the Indian community; among the Carrollwood community where he has lived for over 30 years; and among the whole Tampa Bay community.

Kiran Patel was born in Zambia, Africa to Asian-Indian parents. He was educated under the British Educational System in Zambia and then got his diplomas from Cambridge University and The University of London. He then went to study medicine at Gujarat University in India and did his Internship in Africa. Dr. Patel did his residency in Internal Medicine in New Jersey in 1980. He completed a fellowship in the cardiology program affiliated with the Columbia University of New York in 1982.

Dr. Kiran moved to Tampa, Florida in 1982 and began his practice in cardiology. He was very successful and became a distinguished cardiologist in that area. He developed a physician practice management company and expanded throughout the Tampa Bay area, diverging into 14 practices including Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Cardiology.

Kiran was also in partnership with many point-of-service locations to form a multi-specialty network. This network helped patients access most medical services conveniently. He has actively engaged himself in managed care contracts and it has expanded considerably, providing care now for more than 80,000 patients. Apart from this, he has developed good associations with several HMOs and hospitals.

His success in managed care contracts led a group of doctors to seek his services to help them with an HMO in New Port Richey, Florida. Dr. Patel took up the project after discussing a predetermined purchase option of the company. It was called the Well Care HMO, Inc. (Well Care). In 1992, Dr. Kiran Patel, along with Rupesh Shah, CEO, and Pradip Patel, President, started a Medicaid managed care company. This company became the largest Medicaid provider in the state of Florida.

Dr. Patel also helped to bring around the struggling HMO, WellCare of New York and Connecticut. He worked with more than 95 hospitals and a few hundred physicians in settling past due medical claims.

Between 1995 and 2002, Dr. Kiran Patel built the business into a billion-dollar company, providing services to more than 450,000 members, employing more than 1,200 employees and operating in Florida, New York and Connecticut.

Chronology of Dr. Kiran C. Patel’s Managed Health Care Career

1985: Together with his wife and other family members, Dr. Kiran C. Patel started a physicians’ practice ownership and management company which quickly expanded to 14 practices including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and cardiology serving more than 8,000 patients.

1992: Became the Chairman of the Board of Wellcare HMO which under his leadership, grew to become the second largest HMO in Florida and the fifth largest in the U.S., serving more than 200,000 members.

1999: Acquired a struggling New York HMO and together the companies became the WellCare Management Group with annual revenues of over $1 billion, over 1,200 employees and serving over 400,000 members.

2002: Sold majority interest in the Wellcare Management Group for $200 million, becoming an instant multimillionaire in the process.

2007: Following the expiration of a 5 year non-compete, acquired a new HMO holding company called America’s 1st Choice of South Carolina and two Tampa Bay area Medicare HMOs, Freedom Health and Optimum Healthcare. Dr. Patel grew these companies from a fledgling 12,500 members to over 115,000 members with a combined $1.4 billion in premium. Currently, Optimum Healthcare is the only 5 star rated Medicare Advantage Plan in the state of Florida; Freedom Health rates 4.5 stars.

2018: Sold America's 1st Choice (which includes Freedom Health and Optimum Healthcare) to Anthem for an undisclosed amount.

Mital Panara currently working as CEO/President of Kare Healthtech LLC. He has over 18+ years of experience in the healthcare industry holding executive positions. He served as executive Vice President of Freedom Health, Optimum Health of America's 1 st Choice Holding. Joined Freedom Health since inception of the company and helps to achieve the 7th fastest growing Private Company in USA as per INC 500. He created and managed a Special need plan for Freedom and reached the 2nd biggest special need plan provider in the USA.

Served as Executive Committee member of Chamber of Commerce and Part time Professor at West Bay Career University. Graduated Magna Cum Laude with MBA in Business/Finance, also served as President of Honor Society and President of Learning Society.

Proficient and well-known Public Speaker. Spoke at various conferences held by leading organizers in the Healthcare Industry, including World Congress, Financial Research, RISE Group, World Research Group, Opal Group etc. on Medicare, Health Care Revenue Management and Compliance.