Louisville, KY. (May 21, 2008) – For the third consecutive time, SHPS, a leading independent provider of health management and benefits administration solutions, was granted full URAC accreditation for HIPAA Privacy. URAC, an independent, non-profit healthcare accrediting organization dedicated to promoting healthcare quality through accreditation, certification, and commendation, developed the HIPAA Privacy accreditation to recognize best practices in protecting health information privacy in accordance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

“Once again, SHPS has demonstrated its capabilities for meeting the strict URAC quality standards regarding privacy,” said Alan P. Spielman, URAC president and CEO, pointing out that SHPS is also accredited by URAC for health utilization management, case management, disease management, workers’ compensation utilization management, health call center, and consumer education and support standards. ”SHPS’ commitment to safeguarding protected health information is highly commendable and serves as a model for the healthcare industry.”

In awarding SHPS full HIPAA Privacy accreditation, URAC reviewed multiple practices in SHPS’ compliance processes, including but not limited to:

• A HIPAA compliance program with comprehensive policies, procedures, and training;
• An annual compliance training program monitored and tracked by the compliance team; and
• The company’s dedication to supporting confidentiality of participant information through policies, processes, and a secure room for medical records.

“Ensuring participant privacy and protecting sensitive health information is a priority for SHPS. It is ingrained in the design and delivery of our person-centric health management solutions,” said Paul Berger, M.D., SHPS’ chief medical officer. “Over the years, our clients and business partners have relied upon SHPS to safeguard participant data. Our re-accreditation with URAC, an acknowledged national leader in healthcare accreditation, validates their confidence in SHPS.”

The URAC accreditation process demonstrates a commitment to quality services and serves as a framework to improve business processes through benchmarking organizations against nationally recognized standards. Accreditation also requires compliance with URAC’s core standards for key functions such as organizational structure, staff qualifications, training and management, regulatory compliance, quality management, and consumer protection.

“SHPS works diligently to earn the trust and loyalty of its clients and participants, and URAC accreditation documents that we’re keeping our promises,” added Lyn McMullen, RN, MSN, CCM, SHPS practice lead, healthcare organizational quality and compliance. “Privacy accreditation is a strong indicator to current and prospective clients that our compliance initiatives are on track.”

About URAC
URAC, an independent, non-profit organization is well-known as a leader in promoting healthcare quality through its accreditation and certification programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the healthcare system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate 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 establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire healthcare industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

About SHPS | Carewise Health
SHPS is a leading, independent provider of integrated health solutions that improve personal health and reduce spending. By integrating traditional health management and benefits administration services, SHPS delivers people-centric solutions that empower individuals to make wise healthcare choices. It serves large and mid-sized employers, government agencies, and third-party administrators through the company�s Carewise Health, Landacorp, and SHPS brands. Visit www.carewisehealth.com.

For More Information
LeAnn Ross
Director of Marketing
leann.ross@shps.com

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