2007 Press Releases

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LIFEMASTERS TO OFFER DISEASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD MEMBERS IN ILLINOIS, NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS -Largest Single Contract Awarded in the Industry in 2006- SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., February 20, 2007 – LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc., a leading provider of disease management programs, announced today that it has signed an agreement to offer disease management services to members of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The agreement is believed to be the largest single contract awarded in the disease management industry in 2006. “We are extremely proud to have been selected to provide disease management services to these Blue Cross and Blue Shield members,” said David R. Strand, president and chief executive officer at LifeMasters. “This contract is structured in a way that will promote continuous innovation in the delivery of our services and the ongoing development of fully integrated health management solutions.”  “Chronic condition management is a critical component of the Blue Care Connection framework we have developed to help our members achieve and maintain optimum health,” said William Gerardi, M.D., clinical advisor for Managed Health Care Delivery at Health Care Service Corporation, which operates the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. “Through our contract with LifeMasters, members with congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, asthma and lower back pain will have access to a full array of customized disease management services.” Program participants will receive coaching and regular telephonic support from their own personal health coach. They will learn how to monitor their vital signs and symptoms to detect early changes in their health status, such as blood glucose levels, and blood pressure.  An integral part of the program also includes integrating the members’ physicians by alerting them to significant changes in their patient’s health between office visits so they can intervene early to avoid emergency room visits and hospitalizations.  About LifeMasters Supported SelfCare LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc. is a leading provider of disease management programs and services that create health partnerships among individuals, their physicians and payors. Its mission is to empower individuals to achieve and maintain optimal health. The programs improve quality of care for people with chronic illnesses, reduce chronic-disease costs for payors and provide decision-support tools for physicians. LifeMasters offers programs for individuals with diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension and asthma (all of which are fully accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and URAC) and musculo-skeletal pain. LifeMasters’ programs are holistically focused, support co-morbidities such as depression and facilitate lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation and weight loss. LifeMasters provides services to nearly 650,000 people throughout the nation. Founded in 1994 by a physician, LifeMasters works with some of the nation’s leading health plans, employers, retirement systems and governmental organizations, including Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee, State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio, and Presbyterian Health Services in New Mexico.  More information about LifeMasters can be found at www.lifemasters.com or by calling 1-800-777-1307. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas are divisions of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Corporation, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Contacts: Barbara Gideon (650) 829-5287 bgideon@lifemasters.com