TriWest Earns Expanded URAC Accreditation

Ensures Consistent, High-Quality Care is Provided to Beneficiaries
Throughout the 21-State TRICARE West Region

PHOENIX (Feb. 5, 2008) — TriWest Healthcare Alliance announced today that it has earned URAC accreditation for its Health Care Services Utilization Management and Case Management operations at the company’s five hub offices in Colorado Springs, Honolulu, Mountain, San Diego and Tacoma, which expands the company’s excellence standards beyond its corporate headquarters.

URAC, a Washington, D.C.-based health care accrediting organization, establishes quality standards reflective of best practices for the health care industry. Accreditation serves as a symbol of excellence. The accreditation standards establish key quality benchmarks for core business practices and managed care programs including network management, provider credentialing, utilization management, quality management and improvement, disease management, consumer protection and confidentiality.

"Extending our URAC accreditation beyond our Phoenix headquarters to all of our Hub offices ensures that TriWest has achieved a consistent operational standard of excellence throughout our entire organization," stated TriWest President and CEO David J. McIntyre, Jr. "This validates that TriWest is delivering uniformly effective and efficient health care services across the enterprise and is providing high-quality care services in every corner of the TRICARE West Region we serve."

"We commend TriWest for meeting URAC’s strict quality standards," said URAC Board Chair Robert L. Crocker. "It is critically important for health care organizations to make a commitment to quality and accountability. URAC accreditation is a demonstration of that commitment."

TriWest received URAC Health Network Accreditation for Case Management, Disease Management and Utilization Management in April 2007 and for URAC Provider Network Accreditation in 2005.

TriWest is the U.S. Department of Defense’s contractor for management of the TRICARE health entitlement program available to active duty military members, their families, retirees and retirees’ families. When health care cannot be provided at a military installation, TriWest connects families with an extensive network of more than 129,000 community physicians, hospitals and other health care providers.

URAC, an independent, nonprofit corporation, is a leader in promoting health care quality through accreditation and certification programs. URAC’s standards keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a mark of distinction for health care 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 health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.