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Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Announces the Inaugural Recipients of its 2024 Physician and Practitioner Awards

Date: 06/03/25

Physicians and other medical practitioners recognized for outstanding service and quality care for members of Meridian and its family of plans

CHICAGO (June 3, 2025) — Meridian Health Plan of Illinois, Inc. (Meridian), a provider of government-sponsored managed care services to families, children, seniors, and individuals with complex medical needs, a Centene (NYSE: CNC) company, today announced the recipients of its inaugural Physician & Practitioner Awards. Meridian selects a physician or practitioner for each of its plans to receive the award in recognition of the outstanding service and quality of care they provide to health plan members. Recipients represent the best in quality medical delivery.

The 2024 Meridian Physician & Practitioner Award recipients include:

  • Ambetter (Marketplace):
    Antoinette Lullo, DO, UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Family Medicine Center – Hinsdale

  • Meridian Medicaid Plan (Medicaid):
    Esperanza Health Centers – Chicago

  • Wellcare (Medicare):
    Sophia Zamudio Rasof, MD, Advocate Health Care – Chicago (Portage Park)

  • YouthCare (specialized Medicaid plan for current and former youth in foster care):
    Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness – Joliet

Award recipients were selected based on their ability to close gaps in care based on Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) metrics. Quality of Care measures, determined by the state and federal government, cover preventive screenings, immunizations, and annual provider visits. HEDIS covers six domains: effectiveness of care, access and availability of care, experience of care, utilization, health plan descriptive information, and measures reported using electronic clinical data systems.

“We focus on quality and continually striving for better health outcomes for our members,” said Cristal Gary, Meridian Plan President and CEO. “Our providers are essential partners in providing quality care and these awards recognize their dedication to providing the best care. Each recipient has made caring for people’s health a top priority and continued to move toward improving health equity.”

The Meridian Physician & Practitioner Awards focus on composite quality scores such as immunizations, annual preventive care such as medication adherence, and chronic condition management, such as blood pressure control. Learn more about our Quality Improvement Program.