American Healthways to Provide Disease Management Services to Blue Cross Blue Shield Northern Plains Alliance.NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Company Contracts with Newly Formed Regional Medicare Advantage Plans' Medical Management Vendor for Congestive Heart Failure congestive heart failure, inability of the heart to expel sufficient blood to keep pace with the metabolic demands of the body. In the healthy individual the heart can tolerate large increases of workload for a considerable length of time. Program American Healthways Inc., (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on : AMHC AMHC Association of Mental Health Clergy AMHC Aviation Structural Mechanic Hydraulics Chief ) today announced a three-year disease management agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield Blue Shield A US not-for-profit health care insurer that is a reimbursement intermediary for physicians. Cf Blue Cross. of Minnesota, who has been contracted to provide medical management services for the Medicare Advantage plans offered across the region by the Alliance. The Alliance includes the independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensees in the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. These seven states comprise Medicare Advantage Region 19. Under the contract, American Healthways will offer a congestive heart failure program tailored specifically to serve the needs of Medicare beneficiaries. "Medicare Advantage, as a result of the Medicare Prescription Drug prescription drug Prescription medication Pharmacology An FDA-approved drug which must, by federal law or regulation, be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription–eg, finished dose form and active ingredients subject to the provisos of the Federal Food, Drug, , Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, represents a significant opportunity for disease management, and we look forward to applying our experience with Medicare populations in this new market to help improve the health of seniors, improve quality and reduce costs," said American Healthways President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Ben R. Leedle, Jr. American Healthways was chosen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), previously known as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that administers the Medicare program and (CMS (1) See content management system and color management system. (2) (Conversational Monitor System) Software that provides interactive communications for IBM's VM operating system. ) to launch a three-year voluntary pilot program in Maryland and D.C. to serve nearly 20,000 beneficiaries in the area with complex diabetes and/or congestive heart failure. The Company launched the Maryland and D.C. Medicare Health Support pilot last August and is participating as a subcontractor on another pilot in Georgia. In total, there are eight Medicare Health Support pilots being conducted by CMS in various regions of the country for about 160,000 beneficiaries with these diagnoses. Safe Harbor Provisions This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In order for American Healthways to utilize the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995, investors are hereby cautioned that these statements may be affected by the important factors, among others, included in the discussion in Part I, Item 1, and Part II, Item 7, of American Healthways' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2005. Consequently, actual operations and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. American Healthways undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements. About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. A not-for-profit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest health plan based in Minnesota, covering 2.6 million members in Minnesota and nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
About American Healthways American Healthways is the nation's leading and largest provider of disease management, care enhancement and high-risk health management services proven to improve the quality of health care and lower costs. As of Aug. 31, 2005, the company had nearly 1.9 million lives under management worldwide. For more information visit www.americanhealthways.com. |
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