For Immediate Release

Silver Spring, Maryland
August 9, 2006

APS Healthcare's Health Management Program Helps Save State of Wyoming Nearly $13 Million in Healthcare Costs in First Year

APS Healthcare, one of the country's leading specialty healthcare companies, and the Wyoming Department of Health's EqualityCare (Medicaid) program announced today that APS' Healthy Together total population health management program helped the state avoid more than $12.7 million in unnecessary healthcare costs. These results were for the aged, blind and disabled Medicaid population in its first reconciliation year, which ended on Dec. 31, 2005.

Through the Wyoming EqualityCare program, APS managed an average of more than 7,800 clients per month through its Healthy Together health management programs, which includes programs for clients with asthma, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic heart failure, depression, diabetes and other disease states. The average cost avoidance for clients, while still maintaining quality care, was $135 each month, which was $36 above the target savings per member per month.

In addition to the financial benefits, APS health coaches also helped clients achieve significant improvements in prevention measures such as diabetes testing, eye exams, glucose monitoring, statin usage, cholesterol monitoring, bronchodilator usage and other preventative treatments and testing to improve their overall health and well-being.

The financial and clinical results were confirmed by Milliman, a global consulting and actuarial firm. 

“APS' disease management produced excellent health outcomes and financial savings for the state of Wyoming,” said Al Lewis, president, Disease Management Purchasing Consortium International, Inc. “Significant decline in utilization covering heart attacks, asthma attacks, fluid overload and other events, which can be prevented through effective disease management, contributed to a significant overall reduction in hospital costs.”

“APS' health management programs have exceeded our expectations,” said Teri Green, EqualityCare manager. “We are fortunate to partner with a company that understands the complexity of our healthcare system and is able to tailor its programs to meet the needs of our providers and clients.”

The success of the Wyoming program is enhanced by the company's use of its client-based health management model. APS uses a decentralized, collaborative care model to improve Medicaid client and provider engagement in health management programs, increase compliance with recommended care plans and improve coordination within the healthcare system.

“Through our community-based model, we are able to assist Wyoming Medicaid in ways that have proven to be effective,” said David Hunsaker, president, APS Public Programs. “We are excited by these favorable results and ready to continue efforts to improve the health of these clients.”

About APS
APS Healthcare, headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., is a leading provider of specialty healthcare solutions that cover more than 20 million members in the United States and Puerto Rico. APS offers customized, integrated healthcare solutions across two major healthcare product lines – care management and behavioral health services. APS operates under the belief that managing healthcare for the mind and body improves overall health and reduces total healthcare spending.

For more information, contact:

Sarah Clark-Lynn
Manager, Corporate Communications
APS Healthcare
800-305-3720, ext. 3266
sclynn@apshealthcare.com