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July 11, 2005

LifeMasters Appoints Vice President of Actuarial Services

New Position Demonstrates LifeMasters' Ongoing Commitment to High Standards in Data Analysis and Outcomes Reporting

LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc., a leading disease management company, today announced the addition of Steven Wright, Vice President of Actuarial Services, to its management team. In this newly created role, Mr. Wright will be responsible for the management and continuous enhancement of LifeMasters' data management processes, outcomes methodologies and reporting of clinical and financial results. This appointment underscores the company's ongoing commitment to achieving the highest standards of excellence in outcomes measurement.

The disease management community has experienced increasing demand by employers, health plans and government agencies for accountability and transparency of its health improvement programs. A central component of success is maintaining the confidence of disease management purchasers in the positive impact these programs have on participants. For disease management providers, sophisticated, accurate and consistent measurement methodologies are essential to meeting growing business needs.

"Outcomes measurement is a pivotal way of assessing whether we are achieving our mission to help individuals achieve and maintain optimal health," said David Strand, president and CEO of LifeMasters. "Steven Wright is an invaluable addition to our management team, as he will lead the charge in ensuring that our data accuracy and measurement and reporting processes meet the highest quality standards of our industry and of our customers."

LifeMasters' long-standing relationships with health plans, government agencies and employers have been strengthened by the company's ongoing enhancement of its data analysis and reporting capabilities. To assure credibility, the company employs third-party expert firms to provide critical evaluation and validation of its outcomes analyses. To provide transparency, LifeMasters offers customers the opportunity to review their own data through a secure web-based application, providing up-to-date unfiltered information regarding program progress and results.

Mr. Wright brings extensive actuarial and financial risk management experience to LifeMasters having been in the actuarial field for more than 20 years. He spent the past 11 years at Reden & Anders Ltd. where he was a Principal. Mr. Wright has managed a variety of consulting engagements, including traditional actuarial services, evaluating health plan contracting strategies for hospitals, risk assessment and adjustment studies, and assisting various managed care organizations in implementing data management processes. He has also overseen financial evaluation of disease management program performances, Medicare feasibility studies, development of demand forecasts and market share studies and development of financial models for provider risk-sharing arrangements. In previous positions, Mr. Wright contributed to the success of LDG Management Co., Central Life Assurance and Allstate Insurance Company. He holds a BA in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, and is an associate of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Posted by Tom Troceen