Private Healthcare Systems Opens New Phoenix Office

Market Wire, March, 2005

Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS), the nation's leading health care cost management company, today announced the opening of its newest regional office in Phoenix, Arizona.

As the largest national proprietary PPO, Private Healthcare Systems maintains regional offices across the country to support its Network of nearly 450,000 providers and more than 4,000 facilities. In addition to corporate headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts, and the new Phoenix location, PHCS operates regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Irvine, Kansas City, Mississippi, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, Orlando, Seattle, Syracuse and Washington D.C.

"One of our basic tenets is that health care is a local business. Having a Phoenix-based presence is crucial to maintaining a deep understanding of the unique needs of our customers and providers in Arizona," said Keith Vangeison, PHCS Executive Vice President, Networks. "With the addition of our new Phoenix office, PHCS is able to work more effectively with facilities across the state to develop the best arrangements for managing health care costs."

About PHCS

For nearly 20 years, Private Healthcare Systems has been meeting the network and care management needs of customers across the country. Corporate headquarters are in Waltham, Massachusetts, with regional offices located throughout the United States. The largest national proprietary PPO, the PHCS Network includes nearly 450,000 providers and more than 4,000 facilities. PHCS is the first and only national PPO to earn four endorsements of quality from two independent, nationally recognized quality assurance organizations, NCQA and URAC.

Jacqueline D. Ibbitson (781) 895-3183 jibbitson@phcs.com