State Of Colorado Expands Contract With Alere Medical To Include Medicaid Recipients With COPD

Alere Medical, Inc., a leading health management company, announced today that it has been chosen by the State of Colorado to manage its Medicaid recipients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) beginning in October 2007. This is the second expansion of the State of Colorado's contract with Alere Medical, which is also successfully managing the state's Medicaid heart failure and asthma patients.


"We believe that the success we've achieved with Alere's asthma program, combined with the preliminary positive experience in Alere's heart failure program, will result in similar results for our members with COPD," said Christy Hunter, Disease Management Coordinator for the state.


"Alere has been very pleased with the success of its Medicaid heart failure and asthma programs in Colorado," added Timothy J. Moore, MD, MS, executive vice president and chief medical officer for Alere. "We're confident that our COPD program, with its proven results, can improve the health of the state's members with COPD as well."


The Alere COPD program for the state of Colorado includes telephonic interaction with a specialized respiratory registered nurse, mailed educational materials, online education tools, and a toll-free number for members to call with questions or concerns. High-risk members will be eligible to receive a home monitor that will allow them to transmit symptoms to Alere's registered nurses daily. Moderate- and high-risk members will be eligible to participate in ongoing telephonic education sessions with Alere's registered nurses. Alere's registered nurses will provide intervention and send regular progress reports to the member's physician.


About Alere Medical Inc.


Alere Medical Incorporated is a leader in specialized health management services focusing on a patient-centric, programmatic approach to comprehensive personal health support. Alere's integrated care monitoring system identifies and monitors all medium- and high-risk patients, and prioritizes those patients to facilitate efficient workflow. With published outcomes that exceed those of any competitor, Alere Medical's health management programs improve clinical outcomes for patients, and maximize savings for clients.


Alere Medical has received NCQA Patient and Practitioner Full Accreditation of its disease management programs for heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, asthma and COPD. For more information, visit alere.