Bravo Health

News Release

Bravo Health Receives Notice of Contract Award for STAR+PLUS Program in Texas

Program Integrates Acute Care Services and Community-Based Long-Term Care Delivery

(BALTIMORE, MD — May 18, 2010) — Bravo Health (www.bravohealth.com) today announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) selected Bravo Health to provide STAR+PLUS managed care services for aged, blind, and disabled Medicaid patients in the Tarrant Service Area. The Tarrant Service Area includes six counties in north Texas: Denton, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant, and Wise.

Under the STAR+PLUS program, Bravo Health will arrange for the provision of a continuum of care with a range of options and flexibility to meet individual needs. The program combines health and long-term services to elderly and people with disabilities, enabling them to achieve improved health and wellness access, quality, and outcomes at home or in assisted living facilities.

"We are extremely pleased to be able to provide high quality health care to people in Texas," said Jeff Folick, president and CEO of Bravo Health. "Through this expansion, Bravo Health looks forward to providing integrated Medicaid long-term care programs that effectively manage health care costs while earning high quality and member satisfaction ratings through meaningful partnerships with physicians and providers."

A spokesperson from Mental Health Mental Retardation (MHMR) of Tarrant County said, "We congratulate Bravo Health on their selection as a provider of STAR+PLUS services in the Tarrant Service Delivery Area. Our discussions with Bravo Health have demonstrated to us their keen understanding of the full range of health care needs of Medicaid recipients. Their desire to address people's physical and behavioral health needs will be beneficial to our community and we look forward to working with them."

Bravo Health has offered Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Advantage Specials Needs Plans, as well as Part D Prescription Plans to members in Texas since 2005, with over 20,000 members in Dallas, El Paso, Bexar and Harris Counties.

"This award reinforces the strength of our presence in the Texas region," said Pat Feyen, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Bravo Health Texas. "We look forward to building upon our existing strong partnerships within the community in order to offer Bravo Health members valuable benefits to support their desire to live well."

In this bid, HHSC expanded the STAR+PLUS program to two regions, the Dallas and Tarrant service areas. STAR+PLUS is a fully integrated program that includes behavioral health services. Bravo Health will be one of two health plans serving approximately 30,000 members in that region. The announcement is subject to final contract negotiations between HHSC and Bravo Health. These contract negotiations are expected to be finalized in summer 2010, with an operational start date in early 2011.