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Labor/Management Health Care Coalition, HealthPartners Reach Preferred Vendor Preliminary Agreement

HealthPartners Network to Be Available to 300,000 Employees and Their Families

The Labor/Management Health Care Coalition of the Upper Midwest (LMC) voted unanimously to enter into a preferred vendor arrangement with HealthPartners. The preliminary agreement, a first for LMC, would make the HealthPartners network available to the LMC's 300,000 members and their families in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota and Iowa.

"This marks a new chapter in our commitment to provide the best value for our members health care dollars," said Sean Kenney, Ph.D., LMC executive director. The LMC decision is the result of a six-month evaluation that included a national consultant. Participants reviewed 14 local and national health care network providers and found HealthPartners to be the leader for its highly competitive provider discounts, its large open access network and its low administrative costs with no hidden fees. In addition, HealthPartners is the top performer for clinical quality in areas such as preventive care, chronic disease management, prescription drug management, consumer engagement and support.

"We are very excited to work with the Labor/Management Health Care Coalition in bringing to its members higher quality health care at an affordable price," said Mary Brainerd, HealthPartners president and CEO. LMC members include 47 labor groups representing employees in construction, education, graphic communications and state, county and local government.

"We are thrilled to work with HealthPartners to change the way health care is purchased in Minnesota," said Gary Thaden, management co-chair of the LMC and government affairs director of Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association. HealthPartners and LMC expect a final agreement will be reached in the next 30 days.

About HealthPartners

HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) is the largest consumer governed non-profit health care organization in the nation and is committed to improving the health of its members, patients and the community. The HealthPartners family of health plans includes HealthPartners, Inc, Group Health Plan, Inc., Midwest Assurance Company, and HealthPartners Administrators, Inc.

Distributed by Market Wire