Louisville, Ky. (June 12, 2007) – SHPS, a leading provider of health advocacy and health benefits solutions, today announced an expanded agreement with The EPOCH Group, L.C., one of the nation’s largest third party administrators (TPAs) for self-funded healthcare plans, to offer SHPS’ entire integrated care management solution to EPOCH clients. The solution – which SHPS designed exclusively for TPAs – links utilization management, case management, disease management and wellness programs into a seamless medical management experience.

Today, a mere 30 percent of the U.S. population drives 80 percent of all healthcare costs. To address this trend, better health management for the chronic and high-risk – and greater prevention for the well and at-risk – is needed. By integrating SHPS’ industry-leading care management programs under a single umbrella, EPOCH and its clients can now benefit from such a comprehensive approach. The result of this integrated approach is improved outcomes, enhanced healthcare quality and lower costs along the entire care continuum.

“EPOCH’s primary goal is superior service to our clients,” said Paul Stucky, EPOCH’s president and CEO. “By partnering with SHPS, our clients receive superior healthcare services, exceptional delivery and the personal touch that EPOCH provides each and every day. That’s a win for us, a win for our clients and a win for our members.”

SHPS’ integrated care management solution comprises URAC-accredited services that take a personalized approach to inpatient/outpatient review, care coordination and chronic condition management. Since 2004, EPOCH has offered SHPS’ disease management and wellness services through EPOCH Care Management Solutions – a multi-faceted approach to managing its clients’ rising healthcare costs. EPOCH expanded its relationship with SHPS in January 2007 by adding utilization management and case management services.

“This expanded partnership is indicative of a larger healthcare trend – collaboration,” said Jeff Rosenblum, SHPS’ executive vice president, channel solutions. “SHPS’ integrated care management solution marries our quality clinical services with EPOCH’s expertise in plan design and administration. That translates into lower costs and better outcomes for all involved.”

“SHPS was able to expand their initial disease management service by demonstrating to our team how they would lead a detailed implementation plan moving our 30,000 utilization and case management lives into a consolidated service; and that service now delivers a continuum of care unmatched by any other vendor we evaluated,” said Stucky. “SHPS has the clinical depth, product breadth and operational know-how to provide something many other companies promise, but fail to provide – integrated care management.”

About SHPS
SHPS provides a broad range of innovative health management tools, resources and services that empower consumers to make wise healthcare decisions. With comprehensive services that transform consumer health behaviors, SHPS’ integrated delivery system maximizes the value of consumers’ and employers’ healthcare dollars. Among its many clients, SHPS serves large and mid-sized employers, health insurance carriers, third party administrators, Medicare Part D providers and government agencies. The company employs registered nurses and health professionals, employee benefit specialists and IT experts in facilities across the United States. Visit www.shps.com.

For More Information
Sarah Bovine
Director, Corporate Communications
sarah.bovine@shps.com

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