TriWest Healthcare Alliance Awarded Third TRICARE Contract, Remains Health Care Contractor...

TriWest Healthcare Alliance Awarded Third TRICARE Contract, Remains Health
Care Contractor for Department of Defense in 21-State TRICARE West Region

PHOENIX, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- TriWest Healthcare Alliance today was awarded
the contract to continue providing military families access to high quality
health care and manage the 21-state TRICARE West Region for the Department of
Defense (DoD). The contract enables TriWest to continue to support the DoD in
meeting the health care needs of 2.7 million active duty personnel, their
families and retirees. The contract includes a transition period, plus five
one-year option periods for healthcare delivery beginning April 1, 2010.

"It has been our great honor and privilege to serve the healthcare needs for
those who sacrifice so much in defense of freedom, and we are pleased that the
Department of Defense has selected us again for this critical work," said
David J. McIntyre, Jr., TriWest's President and CEO. "Being awarded our third
TRICARE contract is a testament to the focus we have placed on customer
service, bringing more than 145,000 high-quality providers into the West
Region network through the work of our world-class non-profit owner
organizations, and our stewardship of taxpayer dollars in doing what's right
for the beneficiaries of this program. Just as we've done for the past 13
years, we are committed in this new contract to working alongside our civilian
and military counterparts across the system to ensure access to high-quality
health care and improve an already strong TRICARE program for America's
military family."

The TRICARE West Region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada,
New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, western Texas,
Washington and Wyoming.

TriWest's corporate headquarters will remain in Phoenix. Primary hub offices
are located in Tacoma, Colorado Springs, San Diego, Honolulu and Anchorage.

Partnering with TriWest is Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation,
a premier claims processor for government programs, which will continue to
provide claims processing and systems support for TriWest in the TRICARE
program.

TriWest Healthcare Alliance continues as the largest Arizona-based DoD
contractor, given the award of this $16 billion contract. It employs
approximately 1,900 people throughout the TRICARE West Region. The company is
owned by TriWest Alliance, a holding company comprised of 15 not-for-profit
health care organizations and two university hospital systems located
throughout the TRICARE West Region. These organizations oversee the company's
governance and build TriWest's network of local providers to serve military
families seeking care outside military treatment facilities.

About TriWest
TriWest Healthcare Alliance partners with the Department of Defense to do
"Whatever It Takes" to support the healthcare needs of 2.7 million members of
America's military family. A Phoenix-based corporation, TriWest is URAC
accredited in Networks, Utilization Management, Disease Management, and Case
Management. TriWest provides access to cost-effective, high-quality health
care in the 21-state TRICARE West Region. Visit www.triwest.com for more
information.

SOURCE TriWest Healthcare Alliance

Scott Celley of TriWest Healthcare Alliance, +1-602-564-2526, Mobile,
+1-602-770-2131, scelley@triwest.com