For Immediate Release

Contact:
Scott Harris
Milliman Care Guidelines
+1 206 381.8160
scott.harris@milliman.com

James S. Loughman
Donley Communications
+1 212 751.6126

FutureHealth Corporation Renews Commitment to Milliman Care Guidelines

Enterprise License Widens Access to Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines

SEATTLE — March 16, 2004 — Milliman Care Guidelines, a Division of Milliman, today announced a multi-year enterprise license for its Milliman Care Guidelines^® with FutureHealth Corporation of Timonium, MD. The new, long-term agreement expands FutureHealth’s access to include Ambulatory Care, Inpatient and Surgical Care, Recovery Facility Care, and Home Care.

“FutureHealth chose Milliman because they are a well-recognized and highly regarded organization,” said Cynthia Walls, Director of Utilization Management for FutureHealth. “We have found the Care Guidelines to be both adaptable and comprehensive,” Walls added.

The Care Guidelines represent a compilation of best practices drawn from the current best medical evidence. They assist healthcare professionals in identifying quality care practices in use today — practices that provide patients with the best care possible by reducing underuse, overuse and misuse of medical resources.

“Perhaps most important to FutureHealth is that Milliman’s Care Guidelines are presented in a continuum of care, which works very well with our integrated utilization and case management programs,” Walls said. “Milliman also offers ease of access and the ability to integrate them into our current documentation system. Additionally, the web version we have licensed allows remote access for nurses who are telecommuting,” Cynthia Walls concluded.

The Milliman Care Guidelines are a series of clinical decision support tools spanning the continuum of care, ambulatory through Home Care. These evidence–based guidelines are used for treating specific patient conditions with appropriate levels of care and planning for optimal progression toward discharge or transition. Designed to be used in conjunction with healthcare professionals’ clinical judgment, the Care Guidelines enable more informed and consistent clinical care decisions and promote the best possible care management.

Used by hospitals, physician groups, health plans and other healthcare managers, the Care Guidelines are, quite simply, guidelines for providing the right care, at the right time and in the right setting. They are based on medical literature and the actual practice of physicians across the United States, providing a picture of what is possible and — most importantly — what is actually being done.

FutureHealth Corporation is an advanced medical management company located in Timonium, Maryland. Founded in 1992 by Claire Rossé, FutureHealth is privately owned and operated, and currently provides disease, case and utilization management services for more than 650,000 covered lives. FutureHealth is URAC accredited for disease management in the areas of CHF, CAD, asthma and diabetes.

Over the last decade, FutureHealth has developed a unique set of skills, processes and capabilities that have enabled it to reduce its clients’ levels of overall inappropriate medical utilization. At the same time, it has been able to improve the overall quality of patient care within our clients’ populations. For more information, visit www.futurehealth.net.

Milliman Care Guidelines is a division of Milliman, and provides its clinical Care Guidelines to many of the firm’s clients in the hospital and insurance industries. Milliman, whose corporate offices are in Seattle, serves the full spectrum of business, financial, government and union organizations. Founded in 1947 as Milliman & Robertson, the company has 32 offices in the United States as well as offices in Bermuda, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Brazil, and the U.K. Milliman employs approximately 1,800 people, including a professional staff of more than 800 qualified consultants and actuaries. The firm has consulting practices in property and casualty, employee benefits, healthcare and life insurance. It is a founding member of Milliman Global. To obtain more information, please visit the Milliman Care Guidelines website or call 888 464.4746.