For Immediate Release

Silver Spring, Maryland
June 14, 2006

APS Healthcare Director to Serve on 2006 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

APS Healthcare, one of the country's leading specialty healthcare companies, today announced Diane K. Bergschneider, Ph.D., director of APS' Office of Clinical Resources, has been selected for the third consecutive year to serve on the 2006 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Baldrige Award is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive.

As an examiner, Bergschneider is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted for the award. The board is composed of about 500 leading experts selected from industry, government, professional, trade, education and healthcare organizations. Those selected to serve on the board meet the highest standards of qualification and peer recognition.

Awards may be given annually in each of five categories: manufacturing, service, small business, education and healthcare.

The award program, which was established by Congress in 1987, is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a program of the Commerce Department's Technology Administration, in close cooperation with the private sector. The American Society for Quality (ASQ), headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., administers the program.

In addition to serving on the Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Bergschneider will also serve on the 2006 Wisconsin Forward Award (WFA) Quality Program, which is based on the criteria of the Baldrige Award, for the fourth consecutive year. She is also serving on the WFA Board of Directors for the second consecutive year.

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