Farmington, Conn. (February 25, 2010) – Nurtur®, the health, wellness, and work-life company serving employers, plan sponsors and health plans, today announced the strategic acquisition of two health and wellness companies, ActivHealth and Wellness by Choice. Both companies bring additional capabilities to Nurtur that complete the company’s strategic vision of providing integrated life and health management. Specific financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

ActivHealth, founded in 1998 and based in Nashville, Tenn., brings expertise in health risk assessments, online health content, tailored e-learning programming, incentives and rewards tracking, and health
management reporting. The company’s flagship product is the Personal Health Development Network (The PHD Network), an online health management system developed in exclusive partnership with the Duke University Center for Living. The PHD Network leverages interactive health risk assessments and biometric screening information to identify individual health risks and modifiable lifestyle issues related to a variety of health concerns, including the onset of heart disease, diabetes or stroke.

Wellness by Choice, founded in 2003 and based in Syracuse, N.Y., provides worksite wellness and healthrelated lifestyle coaching as well as employee incentive administration and consulting services. The
company’s approach has focused on population health management to reduce utilization through education and wellness.

“It is a privilege to welcome ActivHealth and Wellness by Choice into the Nurtur family,” said Daniel Cave, Nurtur’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “With the completion of these joint acquisitions, we now have the in-house capabilities needed to fully execute our Nurtur PeopleCare™ strategic vision for integrated life and health management. In addition, our company, our clients and members will now benefit from the partnership with the Duke Center for Living, a globally-recognized leader in health and wellness research.” Barton H. Sheeler, ActivHealth’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “The focus on health today is about prevention through wellness. We developed The PHD Network with our partners at Duke to help people identify health risks and deliver trusted personalized health information. Our proprietary platform coupled with Nurtur’s demonstrated expertise in motivational interviewing and health coaching is a perfect fit. Together, we have the opportunity to strengthen our position in the marketplace with expanded service capabilities.”

William E. Kraus, MD, on behalf of the partnership with the Duke University Center for Living, said, “Our partnership with ActivHealth supports Duke’s core missions to improve education, research and healthcare delivery. The PHD Network has allowed us to apply our long history and experience in preventive wellness education and develop personalized treatment programs that really help people get to where they want to be. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Nurtur and reaching more individuals who need support in health and life.”

Kyle Blumin, President of Wellness by Choice, remarked, “Employers and plan sponsors understand the value of wellness and need partners that can deliver measurable results. We believe Nurtur’s vision for
integrated life and health offers a true opportunity to really make a difference by achieving better health and financial savings. As part of Nurtur, we look forward to helping to make our shared vision a reality.”

About Nurtur: Nurtur is the work-life, health and wellness company dedicated to helping people transform their lives with support, encouragement and motivation. The company offers life and health coaching to help people at all life stages address the life issues that get in the way of health as well as the health issues that complicate living. Nurtur life and health management programs include work-life services, concierge, EAP, professional training, wellness and disease management (including Back Pain, Depression, Diabetes, Heart Disease and Respiratory Disease). The company provides services to multi-market segments including employers, plan sponsors, Third-Party Administrators, commercial health plans and government agencies. For more information, visit www.nurturhealth.com.

About ActivHealth: ActivHealth was formed in 1998 in partnership with Duke University Medical Center. The company’s Personal Health Development Network (The PHD Network) is a state-of-the-art online platform that integrates health assessment results and individual risk factors to deliver personalized health and wellness information including educational lesson plans, goal setting tools, program tracking and incentive point management. The PHD Network helps individuals achieve personal health goals while helping organizations reduce healthcare costs, improve morale and build brand loyalty. For more information, visit www.activhealth.com.

About Wellness by Choice: Wellness by Choice provides integrated wellness and disease management programs that address the problem of rising healthcare costs. Our programs are designed to provide resultoriented and measurable solutions. These programs help individuals achieve personal health goals, reduce health risks and reduce medical claims costs that are associated with lifestyle and behavioral issues. For more information visit www.wellbychoice.com.

“Following a very thorough process for evaluating and selecting our key program partners, we are very pleased to welcome Nurtur to our portfolio with programs that offer a proactive approach to wellness for individuals and to reducing the cost of healthcare,” said Yosuke Chikamoto, Ph.D., Wellness Program Specialist for Keenan & Associates. “Keenan provides unique, dedicated resources to integrate, coordinate and communicate these programs with our clients to ensure success.”

Nurtur offers a wide range of work-life, health and wellness solutions. Keenan has selected Nurtur to provide a proactive, comprehensive disease management program. Conditions included in the Nurtur program include asthma, diabetes, COPD, heart failure, coronary artery disease, lower back pain and depression. Keenan has established a strategic relationship with Nurtur to work cooperatively in building the program and positioning Nurtur as an active partner with the employee. The program is delivered via Nurtur’s proprietary PeopleCare™ member management approach, holistic data model and technology platform, and Stepwise evaluation methodology that links health interventions to program outcomes. “Nurtur is excited to be a part of Keenan’s expanding initiative to aggressively manage the health of their clients’ members. Our health coaching model will lead to participants’ improved health, mitigate healthcare costs and improve workforce productivity for employees,” said Michael Maluccio, SVP of Sales and Client Services for Nurtur.

About Nurtur: Nurtur is the work-life, health and wellness company dedicated to helping people transform their lives with support, encouragement and motivation. The company offers customized value-based life and health management programs designed to deliver the best outcomes and greatest return for every dollar invested in health. Nurtur life and health management programs include work-life services, concierge, EAP, professional training, wellness and disease management (including Back Pain, Depression, Diabetes, Heart Disease and Respiratory Disease). The company provides services to multi-market segments including employers, plan sponsors, Third-Party Administrators, commercial health plans and government agencies. For more information, visit www.nurturhealth.com.

About Keenan: Founded in 1972, Keenan is the 14th largest insurance consulting and brokerage firm in the United States and the largest independent broker in California. Keenan is dedicated to providing superior insurance products and services to health care organizations, schools, community colleges, and municipalities for employee benefits, third-party claims administration, workers’ compensation, integrated disability, risk management, and property and liability. Keenan has a network of offices located throughout California and a staff of more than 650 insurance specialists. For more information, call 800-654-8102 or 310-212-3344, email info@keenan.com, or visit www.keenan.com.

We look forward to having the same opportunity to visit with Taft-Hartley Multi-employer Health and Welfare Plans at the upcoming International Foundation conference in Orlando as well as even more health plans at the Medicaid Health Plans of America conference.   

You can meet our team in Booth #321 at the International Foundation conference in Orlando.  In addition, you can also meet our team in Booth #31 at the Medicaid Health Plans of America conference in Washington DC.

Texas Association of Health Plans – Booth #13

California Association of Health Plans – Booth #404

We look forward to meeting you!

Bob

Come back to our site for new updates on our upcoming conferences and conventions to speak to us in person. We’re also available to answer any of your questions by e-mail or phone, just go to the ‘Contact Us’ page. We hope you enjoy the site and look forward to your visit again!

As part of the acquisition, ABA Schools is pleased to welcome Diana Galis who will continue to serve in a leadership role as the Vice President of InSpeech reporting to Erik Ryan, Vice President of Educational Services. Galis has a strong background in marketing, business, and new product development across a variety of industries. She has been primarily responsible for InSpeech’s operation and expansion throughout Arizona and into Texas over the past two years.

“I am very pleased to be part of ABA Schools,” said Galis. “This partnership will enhance the growth opportunities of InSpeech and for all of our dedicated Speech Therapists. It is an exciting time for all of us at InSpeech.”

With this acquisition, ABA Schools anticipates accelerated growth opportunities both within and outside of Arizona, which aligns with the vision to establish a full continuum of programs and services on a national stage. By diversifying product lines to include Speech/Language Pathology services, ABA Schools will have expanded opportunities to provide services beyond a school-systems market. These services are especially relevant and a requirement for early childhood, school-age and elderly members.

“We could not be happier to complete this acquisition, and we welcome Diana Galis and the Speech Therapists into our organization,” said Ryan. “We are excited by the expanded opportunities for service development and integration we’ll be able to achieve across markets as well as funding streams. We have worked directly with InSpeech for the past couple of years, and look forward to having them as part of our product offerings.”

About Academic Behavioral Alternatives™ (ABA Schools)-

Academic Behavioral Alternatives™ (ABA Schools) has provided private special education programming and related-services focused on supporting students with targeted academic and behavioral needs since 1995. A state-approved Private Special Education Organization, ABA Schools currently operates four day schools in Tempe, Chandler, Tolleson and El Mirage, Arizona. ABA Schools’ mission is to provide school districts and families with positive, pro-active, and evidence-based solutions which maximize students’ individual potential. Through highly structured and individualized educational programs, they help students become proficient in basic skills, acquire knowledge, and develop social and personal skills to help them become independent and productive citizens. For more information, visit http://www.abaschools.com/.

Farmington, Conn. (May 27, 2009) – Nurtur, the life, health and wellness company serving multi-market segments, today announced that it has received full, three-year Disease Management Accreditation from URAC, a Washington, DC-based healthcare accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the healthcare industry. Nurtur received full accreditation for its asthma and COPD programs, and renewed accreditation for its coronary artery disease, heart failure and diabetes programs.

URAC’s Disease Management Accreditation Program standards support evidence-based practice, collaborative relationships with providers, consumer education and shared-decision making. “Our underlying philosophy at Nurtur is to provide the highest level of health coaching and support to each and every individual we assist,” said Daniel Cave, President and CEO of Nurtur. “We are proud to have received full and renewed URAC accreditation for our disease management programs. This recognition, coupled with the NCQA accreditation awarded to Nurtur earlier this year, validates our commitment and gives confidence to our members, clients, providers and health coaches.”

“By choosing to seek URAC Disease Management Accreditation, Nurtur has displayed leadership through a commitment to quality and accountability,” said Alan P. Spielman, URAC president and CEO. “Quality healthcare is crucial to our nation’s welfare and it is important to have organizations that are willing to measure themselves against national standards.”

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is a leader in promoting healthcare quality through accreditation and certification programs. URAC’s standards keep pace with the rapid changes in the healthcare system, and provide a mark of distinction for healthcare organizations to demonstrate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in setting meaningful standards for the healthcare industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

About Nurtur: Nurtur is the life, health and wellness company dedicated to helping people transform their lives with support, encouragement and motivation. The company offers an inclusive people-centered approach designed to help people at all life stages address the life issues that get in the way of health as well as the health issues that complicate living. Nurtur provides life and health management programs, concierge, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), training and consulting services to multi-market segments including employers, plan sponsors, Third Party Administrators, commercial health plans and government programs to encourage healthy behaviors, promote healthier workplaces, improve productivity and reduce healthcare costs. For more information, visit the interim Nurtur website at: www.nurturhealth.com.

The Massachusetts Commonwealth Care program is a health insurance program for low-income, working adults (up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level) who are not eligible for Medicaid or employer-sponsored insurance. There are approximately 165,000 Commonwealth Care members.

Michael F. Neidorff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Centene, stated, “We are pleased to help provide comprehensive healthcare services to individuals who lack access to traditional public or private health insurance coverage. This new, innovative managed care solution validates the strategic rationale for our Celtic acquisition and leverages local provider relationships, national managed care experience and Celtic’s invaluable experience with the individual health insurance market.”

Frederick J. Manning, Executive Vice President for Centene and Chief Executive Officer for Celtic, stated, “We are committed to provide a managed care solution for the underserved communities in Massachusetts. By promoting the medical home and preventive care, our new health plan will successfully deliver better health outcomes for the citizens of Massachusetts. Consistent with our philosophy that quality healthcare is best delivered locally, our health plan will hire local staff to meet the needs of the members and communities we will serve.”

The health plan implementation process is underway. We anticipate a build of the membership to start in July, and by fourth quarter 2010, we expect annual run rate revenue of $100 to $125 million. We intend to consolidate the financial operations of the joint venture. Additional detail on the start-up cost, timing and impact to 2009 earnings will be addressed on Centene’s first quarter earnings call.

About Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation is a leading multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind, or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care, Long-Term Care and Medicare (Special Needs Plans). The Company operates local health plans and offers a wide range of health insurance solutions to individuals and the rising number of uninsured Americans. It also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health, life and health management, managed vision, telehealth services, pharmacy benefits management and medication adherence. Information regarding Centene is available via the Internet at www.centene.com.

Source: Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation
Edmund E. Kroll, Jr.
Senior Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations
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or
Sandy McBride
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
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