New Partnership Between FirstCare and HealthFitness Provides Cost-Effective Preventive Health Solutions for Small- to Mid-Size Companies

MINNEAPOLIS , July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- HealthFitness (NYSE: FIT) today announced a partnership with FirstCare Health Plans (FirstCare) to offer small- to mid-size companies in west Texas innovative solutions to improve employee health. The partnership initially represents 61,000 fully insured lives.

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"With our new 'Partner Program' we have made employee wellness programs affordable for the small- to mid-size company segment," said Gregg O. Lehman, CEO and president, HealthFitness. "We can now provide the benefits of wellness programs that have historically been the purview of Fortune 500 companies to 'Main Street' employers at affordable prices. The financial concerns that often prevent smaller employers from offering their employees health improvement programs are now off the table. We are excited to partner with FirstCare to provide its clients access to comprehensive wellness programs to improve employee quality of life and job productivity, at very competitive prices."

Through HealthFitness' new Partner Program -- a turnkey health improvement solution offered through health plans and third-party administrators to small- to mid-sized organizations -- FirstCare now offers a private label solution that enables its clients to reduce employee health risks and lower health care costs by way of:

    --  Health promotion and interactive educational tools through an eHealth
        platform
    --  A confidential, user-friendly health risk assessment that provides
        personalized health information about modifiable risks that are under an
        employee's control to prevent
    --  Health advising for health risk assessment results interpretation and
        program enrollment
    --  Health coaching to support employees to change behaviors in 12 focus
        areas, including physical activity, healthy eating and stress
        management. Employees can access their health coach via phone and/or a
        private, secure online message board
    --  Employer level reporting as well as annual aggregate reports to evaluate
        the effectiveness of the program at the employer site and across the
        FirstCare membership.

In addition, FirstCare has chosen HealthFitness as its health promotion incentive administrator.

"To bring out the full potential of its workforce, businesses need a competitively-priced solution that enhances employee health and engages their workers in reducing health risks," said Steve Abalos, Vice President - Sales and Operations, FirstCare. "Our partnership with HealthFitness gives our clients tools essential for decreasing health care costs and creating healthier, more productive employees - thereby giving companies a competitive advantage in their respective markets."

Austin-based FirstCare operates as an Independent Practices Association model health maintenance organization, providing prepaid medical, hospital and related comprehensive health care services primarily to small- and mid-size employers in westTexas.

For more information about the HealthFitness Partner Program, visit hfit.com or call 800-639-7913.

About FirstCare Health Plans

FirstCare Health Plans (FirstCare) was born and bred inTexas and we are extremely proud of that heritage. FirstCare is owned by two highly respected religious-based health systems -- Covenant Health Systems inLubbock, Texas, and Hendrick Health Systems inAbilene, Texas. We were founded in 1985 and now serve the health insurance needs for approximately 200,000 members. Our goal is to provide the highest quality health care services at a reasonable price. We believe that health care should be within the reach of all Texans, and we work hard to provide flexible plans that suit their needs.

    --  FirstCare provides comprehensive health care services to HMO subscribers
        and their enrolled dependents within their approved service area.
    --  FirstCare also owns Southwest Life & Health Insurance Company
        (SWL&H) which offers the FirstCare PPO, life insurance and dental
        products.
    --  FirstCare Administrative Services adds to our portfolio by providing
        self-funded services.

Our corporate headquarters are located inAustin, Texas. We also have offices inAbilene,Amarillo,Lubbock andWaco. For more information, please visit http://www.firstcare.com.

About HealthFitness

HealthFitness is an award-winning provider of integrated health promotion and fitness management solutions to Fortune 500 companies, the health care industry and individual consumers. With 30-plus years of experience, HealthFitness partners with employers to effectively manage health care and productivity costs by improving individual health and well-being. HealthFitness provides a portfolio of solutions, including best-in-class integration, INSIGHT(R) Health Risk Assessments, screenings, EMPOWERED(TM) Health Coaching and fitness facility design and management. For more information on HealthFitness, visit www.hfit.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release, including, without limitation, statements relating to the ability of FirstCare's clients to reduce employee health risks and lower health care costs using the Partner Program and FirstCare's ability to give those clients tools essential for decreasing health care costs and creating healthier, more productive employees, thereby giving companies a competitive advantage in their respective markets through the Partner Program, are forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not based upon historical facts, including the outcome of events that have not yet occurred and the company's expectations for future performance, are forward-looking statements. The words "potential," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "will," "plan," "anticipate," and similar words and expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management. Actual results may vary materially from those contained in forward-looking statements based on a number of factors including, without limitation, the company's inability to deliver the services under the Partner Program and other factors disclosed from time to time in the company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission including our Form 10-K for 2008 as filed with the SEC. You should take such factors into account when making investment decisions and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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Gregg O. Lehman

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SOURCE HealthFitness

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