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Meritain Health Reveals Findings on Biometric Screening Assessment Among Sample Population

Contact:
Kerry O'Neill
410.902.5035
koneill@mghus.com

Results highlight productivity and cost implications surrounding undetected health conditions

Amherst, NY (June 28, 2007) - Meritain Health, the nation's largest independent provider of services for self-funded health and wellness plans, today revealed the results of a recent biometric screening assessment conducted among nearly 4,000 members from 30 client employer groups throughout the United States.

The screenings identified $18,025,100 total potential unmanaged medical costs among the sample population. The screenings are critical in recognizing risk factors that can lead to chronic disease among employer health plan members and serve to evaluate participants' overall health and untreated medical conditions. The findings were used to project annual medical costs and lost productivity.

Notable findings include:

• 37.2 percent of the sample population was overweight, with many of these individuals having dangerous undiagnosed conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.
• 19.3 percent of participants were smokers.
• 20 percent of sample population discovered new risk factors.
• 2.2 percent of population diagnosed with serious conditions that required immediate medical attention.
• Estimated 10 percent of every workday is unproductive due to untreated conditions for this specific population, resulting in 43,919 days of potential lost productivity.

"This assessment is a call to action for employers to encourage healthy lifestyles both in and out of the workplace," said Dr. Larry Luter, Chief Medical Officer at Meritain. "It is important to point out that many of the risk factors identified in this screening are within the participants' control and thus preventable. To address this issue, Meritain Health has implemented the Healthy Merits program, which promotes wellness and demonstrates that it is possible to reduce health risks through positive behavior change."

About Meritain Health

Meritain Health is the nation's largest independent provider of services for self-funded health plans. Meritain Health serves more than 1,400 self-funded clients and more than 1 million members nationally. The company provides plan administration, innovative wellness, medical management, disease management, network management and cost management services. Meritain Health is also a pioneer and now the leading independent provider of Consumer Directed Health Plans. Meritain Health employs more than 1,350 people, with headquarters in Amherst, N.Y., and regional offices in 28 cities across the country.