FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2007

AAPPO and DMAA Form Strategic Alliance
To Better Serve Association Members and Consumers

WASHINGTON, DC — Working to provide professional members with the most comprehensive suite of benefits, the American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations (AAPPO) and the Disease Management Association of America (DMAA) today announced a strategic alliance that will significantly enhance benefits for members of both associations.

As consumers are being asked to take a more active role in their personal health care, they are, in turn, expecting more from their providers. In this changing healthcare market, disease management organizations, PPOs and their providers look to associations such as AAPPO and DMAA for professional support and services.

"We work very closely with our members and understand their needs," says AAPPO President and CEO Karen Greenrose. "Our members tell us they value information and activities that support their internal business needs. Now, through our alliance with DMAA, members of both associations will have the benefit of a broader portfolio of services."

"DMAA has a strong, long-standing commitment to providing its members with the best educational programming in chronic disease care," says DMAA President and CEO Tracey Moorhead. "With this alliance, AAPPO members can benefit from that expertise through joint programs, reciprocal access to online and onsite education, and other resources. This increases the value of membership for both associations and advances quality by expanding knowledge of best practices in disease and care management."

The alliance will provide strategic collaboration in the following areas:

• Education
• External project collaboration
• Public policy services, and
• Advancement of common initiatives

"Consolidation, consumerism and increasing regulation have changed the environment in which our members operate," commented Greenrose. "And, it is important for AAPPO to build relationships with other associations like DMAA to further support the changing business needs of our membership."

"We're extremely pleased about our alliance with AAPPO and the many opportunities it affords members of both associations," Moorhead says. "We are looking forward to working with AAPPO to collaborate and develop new services and benefits for DMAA members."

Members of both associations can expect to see the availability of enhanced association services over the next few months. The leaders of PPOs around the country are meeting this week at the Four Seasons Resort Aviara in San Diego for AAPPO's Annual Forum to exchange ideas, share perspectives and discuss what's ahead for the PPO industry for 2007.

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About AAPPO
AAPPO (www.aappo.org) is the leading national association of preferred provider organizations (PPOs) and affiliate organizations. PPOs put control for medical decisions in the hands of the physician and patient, resulting in easy access to the right care, provided by the right doctor, at the right time. AAPPO creates a forum for discussion and dissemination of best practices through its formal committee structure.

About DMAA
The Disease Management Association of America (DMAA) a non-profit membership association, represents all stakeholders in disease management and care coordination. DMAA promotes the role of disease management in raising the quality of care, improving health outcomes and reducing health care costs for individuals with chronic conditions. DMAA has more than 200 corporate and individual members representing all aspects of disease management and care coordination—from large health plans, disease management organizations and employers, to individual physicians, researchers and nurses. Learn more by visiting DMAA online at www.dmaa.org.