2008-10-08 03:20:03 -

- Magellan Health Services, Inc., a leading specialty health care management organization, and Healthwise, an award-winning provider of consumer health information, have teamed up to offer Healthwise's innovative Information Therapy (Ix(R)) Conversations behavior change tools to 4.5 million people served through Magellan's employee assistance and health and wellness programs. The newest addition to Magellan's behavior change products and services suite, Healthwise(R) Ix Conversations apply evidence-based behavior change principles and feature interactive, Web-based conversations that speak directly with the user, and respond with answers tailored to his or her input. Each person gets only the information he or she needs and wants--making each experience unique.

Magellan is initially offering Healthwise's Ix Conversations on "Quitting Smoking Again" and "Healthy Thinking" to

members served through the company's employer customers who provide employee assistance and/or NAVIGO(SM) healthy lifestyle coaching services to their employees.

"We are pleased to be able to work with Healthwise to expand the evidence-based tools we offer consumers to help motivate and reinforce behavior change," said Russell C. Petrella, Ph.D., president of behavioral health for Magellan. "Empowering individuals to self-manage their health issues and providing them with the tools to succeed is at the core of Magellan's philosophy. As a leader in delivering innovative, evidence-based behavioral health services, including Magellan Condition Care Management(R) and NAVIGO lifestyle coaching, we understand what it takes to motivate behavior change. We are pleased to be able to combine our knowledge and experience in this arena with Healthwise's innovative technology and uniquely personal approach."

"For decades Magellan has been at the forefront of innovation in behavioral health," said Healthwise founder and CEO, Donald W. Kemper. "We are excited that these next-generation, 'interactive conversations' will be used by Magellan coaches and members to help people make personal advances in behavioral health."

Magellan began working with Healthwise in 2006 when Magellan launched its disease management program. Magellan Condition Care Management, the cornerstone of Magellan's behavior change suite of products, is a proactive approach to care management that focuses on addressing underlying behavioral health barriers that can keep members from achieving their health goals. Through proactive outreach, assessments, coordinated interventions and industry leading behavioral health coaching, members are able to identify and close gaps in skills and understanding that often stand in the way of successful medical treatment.

About Magellan: Headquartered in Avon, Conn., Magellan Health Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:MGLN) is a leading specialty health care management organization operating in three primary lines of business - behavioral health care, diagnostic imaging and specialty pharmaceuticals. Its portfolio of behavioral health and wellness products and services covers the full continuum of care from NAVIGO healthy lifestyle coaching to Magellan Condition Care Management(R) to intensive case management. The company's customers include health plans, corporations and government payors. For more information, visit www.MagellanHealth.com.

About Healthwise: Healthwise is a nonprofit organization founded in 1975 with a mission to help people make better health decisions. More than 111 million times a year, people turn to Healthwise information to learn how to do more for themselves, ask for the care they need, and say "no" to the care they don't need. Healthwise partners with health plans, hospitals, disease management companies, and health Web sites to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to the people they serve. For more information, visit www.healthwise.org.

Magellan
Tina Carroll, 314-387-5345
cmcarroll@magellanhealth.com
or
Healthwise
Brenda Foster, 208-331-6963
bfoster@healthwise.org