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CareCentrix Adds to Senior Leadership Team

HARTFORD, Conn., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- CareCentrix announced the appointment of three health care executives to its senior leadership team: William Kerr, M.D., as chief medical officer; Robert LaGalia, CFA, as chief growth officer; and Alison K. Gilligan, Esq., as chief counsel. The three join a distinguished team of health care executives at CareCentrix, including newly appointed chairman of the board Steve Shulman and chief executive officer Eric Reimer, and a team of tenured health care professionals at the company, including Tom Boelson, chief financial officer, and Murray Mease, vice president of network development.

"CareCentrix has been the leader in home health benefits management for years and is now leveraging its home health platform to reduce hospital length of stay, avoid unnecessary readmissions and achieve better patient outcomes," Reimer said. "Bill, Bob and Alison are well respected in the health care industry, and are joining the team because they recognize the opportunity for CareCentrix to materially reduce a payer's inpatient cost while delivering improved and clearly measurable health care outcomes."

Despite the challenging economic climate, Reimer added that the company is experiencing strong growth. In September 2008, CareCentrix partnered with Water Street Healthcare Partners, a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on health care, to become an independent company focused solely on home health care. Since then, the company has secured several new contracts that once fully implemented will increase the company's annual revenue to over $450 million, up from $315 million in 2008. To support the company's high growth rate and new readmissions reduction product, CareCentrix plans to increase its staff from 400 to more than 500 in the next year. These new executives will help further accelerate the company's growth and product development.

"Over the next few years, millions of baby boomers will become Medicare eligible, placing even more pressure on our country's already over-taxed health care system," said Reimer. "CareCentrix is ahead of the curve, providing health plans with a winning solution that is backed by 13 years of experience in the home health care industry and a distinguished leadership team."

Kerr, who will be responsible for clinical programs, clinical operations and quality management at CareCentrix, brings over 15 years of health care experience to his role at the company. He most recently served as chief medical officer at WellCare Health Plans Inc., and previously as chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield ofFlorida and as a Medical Director at Independence Blue Cross.

LaGalia brings over 15 years of experience to his new role as chief growth officer responsible for sales and marketing, corporate development and government relations. He joins CareCentrix from Magellan Health Services, where he recently served as president of the company's radiology benefits management business, National Imaging Associates, which he co-founded and grew to $300 million in annual revenue.

Gilligan will be responsible for the CareCentrix legal department, regulatory affairs and support for network development. She joins CareCentrix from VeriMedx, Inc. an early stage geriatric disease management company that she co-founded and served as CEO since 2007. Previously, Gilligan held senior management positions in the home health industry including chief General Counsel of Mariner Health Group, Inc., a $750 million publicly traded company.

LaGalia and Gilligan will be based in CareCentrix'East Hartford, Conn. headquarters, while Dr. Kerr will be based in the CareCentrix Tampa care management center.

About CareCentrix

CareCentrix is the leader in home health care benefits management that focuses on the coordination of health care services in the home and dramatically reducing hospital readmission rates. For over 13 years the company has built its reputation on excellence in meeting the home health care needs of more than 20 million Americans through its managed home health care partners. The company is majority-owned by Water Street Health Partners, a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on the health care industry. CareCentrix' former parent company, Gentiva Health Services, Inc. owns a minority stake in the company. CareCentrix is headquartered inEast Hartford, CT, and has operations inMelville, NY,Phoenix, AZ, andTampa, FL. For more information about CareCentrix visit www.carecentrix.com.

SOURCE CareCentrix