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AVON, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Magellan Health Services Inc. (NASDAQ: MGLN) was named as a finalist for the Best Practices in Health Care Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards by URAC, a leading health care accreditation organization. Nineteen finalists were selected from entries across the nation by a distinguished panel of judges, and will be honored during URAC's 2012 Quality Summit, October 9-11, 2012, in San Francisco. The award recognizes achievements of organizations that are effectively advancing the role of consumers as active participants in health care through two areas: Consumer Decision-Making and Consumer Health Improvement.

"The Best Practices Awards provide an opportunity for health care leaders to focus attention on those organizations that are delivering on the mission to advance consumer protection and empowerment," said Alan P. Spielman, president and CEO of URAC. "URAC is honored to share these programs and raise awareness of innovative approaches to health care delivery and management that can be replicated across the industry."

Three of Magellan's programs have been nominated, including:

• Youth-in-Transition Prevention Program: Magellan has worked with the Iowa Department of Human Services to develop the Youth-in-Transition program, which helps families with children suffering from serious emotional disturbances access community-based services. This approach enables youth to stay in the community and has, in recent years, yielded better long-term outcomes than traditional inpatient treatment options. As a result of Magellan's work, member satisfaction associated with accessing community-based support rose by more than 22 percent within a year, and 30-day readmission rates were reduced from 13.1 to 10.5 percent.
• Provider Outcomes Dashboard: Magellan of Arizona collaborated with the Arizona Department of Health Services/Division of Behavioral Health Services and local behavioral health providers to create the Provider Outcomes Dashboard, a way to monitor results across the mental health system. The report shifts the emphasis from how well professionals are performing to how well individuals are progressing in their recovery. The dashboard covers 18 critical areas, including service maximization, clinical coordination and quality of care, and enables Magellan and providers to manage staffing, ensure timely follow-up, measure patient satisfaction with the quality of care, and monitor the recipients' integration back into their communities.
• Radiation Calculator: Magellan's radiology division, NIA, launched the Radiation Calculator tool in 2011 to help consumers calculate and track their exposure to medical imaging radiation. The tool, available online at RadiationCalculator.com, in Apple's App Store for iPad®, iPhone® or iPod® touch, and as an app for Android™ devices and Facebook, allows users to input the various types of imaging tests they have experienced and compiles the information in an easy-to-understand graph, making it simple to compare their own results with those of the average person their age or other routine scenarios. With this information, consumers can discuss with their providers the necessity of future scans and limit their exposure to unnecessary imaging radiation.

"We are very proud to have three very different Magellan programs as finalists in the URAC awards," said Karen S. Rohan, president of Magellan. "Clinical excellence and innovation are two of the guiding principles that drive everything we do at Magellan, and it is an honor to be recognized by the industry for our commitment to quality care initiatives on behalf of the people we serve."

More than twenty of the nation's foremost thought leaders in health care judged the entries based on criteria established by URAC. Finalists are invited to present their winning programs at URAC's 2012 Quality Summit. During a special event at the conference, Platinum award winners will be announced in the two topic categories. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards, as well as Honorable Mention awards, will be presented in six organizational categories. For complete conference details, go to https://www.urac.org/13thAnnualSummit/13thAnnualSummit.asp.

About URAC: URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, promotes health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

About Magellan Health Services: Headquartered in Avon, Conn., Magellan Health Services Inc. is a leading specialty health care management organization with expertise in managing behavioral health, radiology and specialty pharmaceuticals, as well as public sector pharmacy benefits programs. Magellan delivers innovative solutions to improve quality outcomes and optimize the cost of care for those we serve. As of March 31, 2012, Magellan's customers include health plans, employers and government agencies, serving approximately 33.8 million members in our behavioral health business, 16.1 million members in our radiology benefits management segment, and 6.2 million members in our medical pharmacy management product. In addition, the specialty pharmaceutical segment served 41 health plans and several pharmaceutical manufacturers and state Medicaid programs. The company's Medicaid Administration segment served 24 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.MagellanHealth.com.

Magellan Health Services Inc.
Media Contact:
Chris Pearsall, 860-507-1923
CMPearsall@MagellanHealth.com

Source: Magellan Health Services Inc.

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