Care Choices HMO Earns Excellent Rating from NCQA

FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH., December 17, 2001 - Care Choices HMO earned an Excellent rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to providing information to consumers and employers on the quality of health plans. The rating comes out of a rigorous survey of Care Choices by NCQA's team of trained health care experts.

Care Choices was reviewed against more than 60 different standards, each of which focuses on an important aspect of the health plan. These standards—developed with the input and support of consumers, employers, unions, and health plans—are demanding and fall into five categories:

• Access and Service. Care Choices HMO members have access to the care and service they need.

• Qualified Providers. Care Choices HMO assesses each doctor's qualifications and members' satisfaction with its providers.

• Staying Healthy. Care Choices HMO helps members maintain good health and avoid illness.

• Getting Better. Care Choices HMO cares for members when they become sick.

• Living with Illness. Care Choices HMO cares for members when they have chronic conditions.

Only half of all HMOs in the nation are involved in the NCQA Accreditation process. Care Choices HMO voluntarily submits to NCQA's Accreditation program to continuously improve the quality of care and service it delivers to its members. NCQA publicly reports its findings.

"Care Choices HMO staff and our provider partners are constantly focused on maintaining the good health of our members and treating illness effectively when it occurs," said Bill Alvin, Care Choices President and CEO.

Care Choices HMO is very proud to have earned an Excellent rating from NCQA. This designation is a reflection of our commitment to continuously improving the health of the people and the communities we serve. Care Choices HMO is committed to maintaining the level of quality care, service and satisfaction that our members, employer partners, and our participating providers have come to expect.

Care Choices is a non-profit health care organization and a subsidiary of Trinity Health-Michigan, one of the nation's leading providers of health care services. Since 1986, Care Choices HMO has been providing quality health care to thousands of members throughout Michigan. Care Choices offers a broad, fully integrated network of physicians, hospitals and other health care professionals all sharing a strong commitment to improving the health status of the communities we serve by delivering effective and affordable health care. Care Choices HMO maintains the highest rating available of Excellent by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).