FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Cooper Walter W.   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol WELLCARE HEALTH PLANS, INC. [WCG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chief Administrative Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O WELLCARE HEALTH PLANS, INC., 8725 HENDERSON ROAD, REN. 1 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 09/15/2012 (Street) TAMPA, FL 33634 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 09/15/2012 09/17/2012 M(1)   5,212 A $ 0 8,920 D   Common Stock 09/15/2012 09/17/2012 F   1,379 (2) D $ 60.67 7,541 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Restricted Stock Units

(3)

09/15/2012

09/17/2012

M

5,212

(4)

(4)

Common Stock

5,212

$ 0

5,213

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Cooper Walter W. C/O WELLCARE HEALTH PLANS, INC. 8725 HENDERSON ROAD, REN. 1 TAMPA, FL 33634			Chief Administrative Officer

Signatures

/s/ Michael Haber, Attorney-in-fact		09/18/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Vesting of restricted stock units granted to the Reporting Person on September 15, 2009.
(2)	Forfeiture of shares to satisfy tax obligations related to restricted stock units that were granted to the Reporting Person on September 15, 2009 and vested on September 15, 2012.
(3)	Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of WCG common stock.
(4)	The restricted stock units vest in approximately equal installments on each of the first through fourth anniversaries of September 15, 2009. Vested shares will be delivered to the Reporting Person upon vest.

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