WPS Health Insurance

Madison, WI – July 11, 2005 -- WPS Health Insurance, Wisconsin’s largest not-for-profit health benefits provider, has announced a partnership with Health Solutions Ltd., a lifestyle management and consumer information company based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The partnership provides Wisconsin employers the opportunity to reduce long-term health care costs by integrating a health insurance plan with a comprehensive lifestyle management program.

Health Solutions uses a customized package of incentives, information, and tools to help employees modify behaviors that increase health risks. Healthier lifestyles result in less health care utilization, which helps stem the escalating costs of health care benefits.

"Rising health care costs are a major issue for Wisconsin employers," stated Guenther Ruch, Senior Vice President at WPS Health Insurance. "Clearly, it’s in everyone’s best interest to foster a healthier workforce. By integrating the Health Solutions product into a WPS health insurance plan, employers can improve the physical health of their workforce and the financial health of their business."

The Health Solutions system is designed to reduce personal lifestyle health risk factors through a four-prong approach: health risk appraisal, behavior and lifestyle coaching, consumer information and education, and intervention programming and consultative services. The integrated system, based on scientific models and peer-reviewed research, offers employees tools and incentives to make better health care and lifestyle choices.

"Our approach is customized, personalized and targeted," stated Patrick Trotter, President of Health Solutions, Ltd. "In designing the program, we were especially careful to make sure it was easy to implement and did not create new work for the employer. Plus, we strive to make employees part of the solution." Trotter is pleased to offer the program through WPS, which he stated, "shares our interest in providing new and innovative measures to control rising health-benefit costs."

Employers will be able to pair the Health Solutions product with any WPS health plan, whether a traditional or consumer-driven plan. The Health Solutions package is available to WPS group customers with 100 or more employees.

WPS Health Insurance is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing quality health and benefit plan administration for businesses and individuals for nearly 60 years. WPS is one of the state's largest health insurers and was founded by members of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin in order to help state residents who lacked proper medical insurance. Today, WPS, which has a Wisconsin network of more than 14,500 providers, 800 clinics and specialty care clinics, and 129 hospitals, continues to address market needs by working closely with customers and health care providers. For more information about WPS Health Insurance, visit www.wpsic.com.

For information on Health Solutions Ltd., visit www.healthsolutionsltd.com.