CHICAGO, June 17 - At ceremonies being held today at the AHIP Foundation's Excellence in Health Care Awards Dinner, individuals, memberorganizations, and providers are being recognized for their industry-leading practices and programs. AHIP and its sponsoring partners also announced grants for member health insurance plans in the development of innovative programs for immunization and asthma care.

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AHIP presented awards in the following categories:

The National Exemplary Practice Awards Program
These awards recognize member companies for their successful efforts to
improve chronic care management through innovative models of care. AHIP is
pleased to sponsor this program in partnership with the American Academy of
Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) for asthma; the American Heart
Association (AHA) for cardiovascular disease; and the American Diabetes
Association (ADA) for diabetes.
The 2004 awards will recognize three member health insurance plans for
their successful efforts to improve chronic care management through innovative
models of care.

The winners of the 2004 awards are:

National Exemplary Practice Award -- Asthma
Award Winner: QualChoice, Cleveland, Ohio, for its Knowledge and New
Opportunities for Wellness (KNOW) Asthma Program that helps its members with
asthma gain the knowledge, skills and support necessary to live fully
functional lives everyday.

National Exemplary Practice Award -- Cardiovascular Disease
Award Winner: Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, Oregon, for its
Cardiovascular Risk Factor Management (CVRFM) Program that promotes the
highest quality of care and quality of life for members with cardiovascular
risk factors.

Honorable Mention: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Midwest), Mason,
Ohio, for its Cardiac Disease Management Program that provides actionable
information to its participants on primary prevention, secondary risk
reduction, and evidence-based treatment of cardiovascular disease to
facilitate sound decision-making.

National Exemplary Practice Award -- Diabetes
Award Winner: PacifiCare of Oregon, Lake Oswego, Oregon and PacifiCare of
Washington, Mercer Island, Washington, for its Taking Charge of Diabetes(R)
program that addresses the complexities of managing diabetes with co-
morbidities such as coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure.

Honorable Mention: Blue Care Network, Southfield, Michigan, for its
Diabetes Management Program that offers multiple interventions for members and
physicians to facilitate effective communication and prevent unnecessary
medical complications.

AHIP/Wyeth HERA Award
The AHIP/Wyeth HERA Awards honor programs that have made a measurable
difference in the lives of women and children. The awards are supported by a
grant from Wyeth. Now in its ninth year, the AHIP/Wyeth Hera Award has brought
important recognition to organizations and individuals who have implemented
programs and projects in key areas such as midlife wellness for women, chronic
disease management, pediatric asthma, immunization, AIDS, and breast cancer.

The 2004 Winners in the Health Plan Category are:

Gold: Health Partners of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for
its Baby Partners Prenatal Outreach Program that offers
comprehensive prenatal support with intensive case management and
one-on-one counseling for their Medicaid population.

Silver: Aetna Inc., Hartford, Connecticut, for its Adolescent
Immunization Initiative that is designed to improve immunization
rates and prevent diseases prevalent among adolescents.

Bronze: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation, Durham,
North Carolina, for its Diabetes Awareness, Training and Action
Program that provides school representatives with the tools to
educate physicians and parents about diabetes.


The 2004 Winners in the Provider Category are:

Gold: Gundersen Lutheran Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin, for its
Well Women's Service that identifies and assesses the risk of
cardiovascular disease in women and provides interventional
counseling to encourage appropriate lifestyle modifications.

Silver: Trilateral Partnership (Children's Hospital and Health Center,
Scripps and Sharp HealthCare) San Diego, California, for its
Partnership for Smoke-Free Families program that seeks to prevent
and reduce tobacco exposure and use among pregnant women and
mothers with small children through community collaboration.

AHIP announced grants in the following categories:

Grant for Innovation in Immunization Practices
AHIP is pleased to sponsor the 2004 Grant for Innovation in Immunization
Practices. Aventis Pasteur has provided an educational grant in support of
this program to improve immunization rates among adolescent and/or adult
members. The winning health insurance plan receives a $50,000 grant to
implement a one-year project.

Grant Winner: IHC Health Plans -- Salt Lake City, Utah, for its Adolescent
Immunization Project that will include collaboration with the Utah Department
of Health to develop a multi-faceted plan to improve the immunization rates
for adolescents within the state.

Grant for Innovation in Asthma Care
AHIP is pleased to sponsor the 2004 Grant for Innovation in Asthma Care,
supported through a cooperative agreement with the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). This grant supports one member health insurance plan
in its commitment to integrate the management of environmental risk factors
into asthma care management programs. The recipient health plan or insurer
receives a $30,000 grant.

Grant Winner: Health Plan of Nevada -- Las Vegas, Nevada, for its Second-
to-None Program that will develop an educational module for parents on the
environmental impact of secondhand smoke and promote successful smoking
cessation by parents of children with asthma.