APS Healthcare Receives URAC Disease Management Accreditation.

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- APS Healthcare announced today that it has been awarded Disease Management Accreditation from URAC, a Washington, DC-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry. The accreditation applies to APS' Medical Management programs operated via its Montana and Wisconsin Regional Operations Centers. APS plans to apply to extend this certification to its Georgia Regional Operations Center in April 2006 and other Centers in development, as those operations meet the six month requirement for operating history required by URAC. APS operates medical management, quality improvement, and behavioral health programs for both public and private sector customers.

"Earning URAC accreditation represents an important milestone in APS' ongoing efforts to deliver programs which improve the overall quality of care for our customers," said Eileen O. Auen, APS' Chief Executive Officer. "We are particularly pleased that an impartial organization such as URAC has validated our approach to disease management through a rigorous evaluation process."

APS' disease management services, branded Healthy Together(SM), include a full array of condition-specific programs that are designed to positively impact the health and well-being of consumers at any point in the health care continuum. APS' Healthy Together(SM) portfolio includes programs that address: Asthma, Diabetes, COPD, Heart Failure, CAD, Hypertension, Wellness, Maternity, Obesity, Tobacco/Smoking Cessation, Depression, Low Back Pain, and Cancer.

"APS should be commended for meeting strict quality standards," said Charles Stellar, URAC Board Chair. "It is critically important for health care organizations to make a commitment to quality and accountability. URAC accreditation is a demonstration of that commitment."

Built on the standards developed with a committee of disease management experts, URAC's program equips disease management organizations with the tools needed to promote quality and better assess and respond to the needs of members. The URAC DM standards promote:

--Evidence-based practice

--Collaborative relationships with providers

--Consumer education

--Shared-decision making with consumers

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is a leader in promoting health care quality through accreditation and certification programs. URAC's standards keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a mark of distinction for health care organizations to demonstrate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in setting meaningful standards for the health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

APS is a provider of specialty healthcare solutions that cover more than 20 million members in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company's portfolio of products encompasses the full-range of healthcare services, including health/disease management, behavioral and medical management, employee assistance programs, work/life services, absence management, as well as physical medicine and informatics consulting. APS operates three dedicated business units: APS Health Management Division, which offers a wide variety of disease and medical management services to employers and health plans; APS Public Programs, which offers specialty physical, disease management and behavioral health services to government clients including 20 states, the TRICARE Department of Defense program and Medicaid programs that cover approximately 30% of the U.S. Medicaid population, and APS Commercial Behavioral Division, which serves more than 900 clients, including corporate and public sector employers and health plans. All of APS' programs combine the company's core competencies in medical and behavioral health management into a holistic patient-centric approach, which improves clinical outcomes and creates a superior return on investment for customers.

APS is committed to "Helping People Lead Healthier Lives(SM)" through the implementation of customized programs that meet each customer's unique needs. For more information, contact Jay Krueger, Senior Vice President - Business Strategy at [phone], ext. 5202 or visit our website at www.apshealthcare.com.