Aurora Health Care and Touchpoint Health Plan Inc. announced today that they have settled a legal dispute over Aurora’s participation in Touchpoint’s health insurance plans.

Under terms of the settlement, Aurora physicians and facilities will participate in Touchpoint’s preferred provider organization (PPO) throughout Touchpoint’s service area. Aurora also will participate in Touchpoint’s HMO plan in certain areas, including Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. Both Aurora Health Care and Touchpoint Health Plan have dropped all pending legal action.

“This settlement is good news for the patients and communities we serve,” said Donald J. Nestor, executive vice president of Aurora Health Care. “We are pleased to be back in the Touchpoint network and recognize that Aurora and Touchpoint share a strong commitment to affordable, high-quality health care.”

Jay Fulkerson, president of Touchpoint Health Plan, said: “Touchpoint is committed to offering our members a broad choice of high-quality physicians and health care facilities at a competitive cost. Aurora’s participation under this agreement meets that commitment.”

Aurora’s participation in Touchpoint’s PPO plans will take effect January 1, 2004. Aurora’s participation in the HMO plan is effective immediately.

Fulkerson and Nestor noted that their two organizations were making a long-term commitment to work together. “This will allow us to avoid any future disruption in the provider network,” Nestor said.

Touchpoint Health Plan is rated by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as the best health plan in America for effectiveness of care, and was the first health plan in Wisconsin to earn Excellent Accreditation from NCQA. Touchpoint has nearly 149,000 members enrolled in commercial, Medicaid and BadgerCare HMO and POS plans, and more than 170,000 people enrolled in various PPO products. Touchpoint is owned 80% by a partnership of ThedaCare and Fox Valley Independent Physicians and 20% by a partnership of Bellin Health in Green Bay and Green Bay area physicians.

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve the quality of health care. Aurora has care sites in 75 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin.

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Contact: Jeff Squire Aurora Health Care 414-647-3408

or

John Gillespie Touchpoint 920-830-5846