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Healthways Enters Brazilian Market Through 10-Year Disease Management Service Agreement With Fleury

Posted on: Thursday, 6 March 2008, 09:01 CST

Healthways International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Healthways, Inc. (NASDAQ: HWAY), today announced a 10-year agreement with Sao Paulo-based Fleury, S.A., Brazil's premier medicine and health company, to offer disease management services in Brazil beginning in the 2nd calendar quarter of 2008. This collaboration offers Fleury the opportunity to rapidly introduce best-in-class disease management programs to the 38 million people who are privately insured in Brazil.

"For more than 80 years, Fleury has built its reputation on creating new and better practices in the fields of medicine, customer services and management, and we are very pleased to partner with Healthways to bring their world-class disease management solutions to the Brazilian market," said Fleury CEO Mauro Figueiredo.

Building on its recent expansion into Germany, this is Healthways' first contract in South America and further demonstrates the Company's ability to tailor its solutions to the unique needs of customers throughout the world.

"Our agreement with Fleury provides us with unprecedented opportunity to support the development of new models of care for Brazilians with chronic disease," said Healthways International President Matt Kelliher. "By leveraging the unique resources, services and systems of both companies, we can establish an immediate presence in the Brazilian market and a deeper understanding of the best ways to apply our knowledge and solutions for improving individual health outcomes in Brazil and elsewhere."

Healthways CEO Ben R. Leedle, Jr. said, "Because Fleury will be introducing these services to the market late in our fiscal year, we expect the agreement to have no impact on our 2008 international guidance. This is a new and commercially attractive business model for Healthways and may offer real potential for us in select international markets."

Safe Harbor Provisions

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In order for Healthways to utilize the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, investors are hereby cautioned that these statements may be affected by the important factors, among others, included in the discussion in Part I, Item 1A, and Part II, Item 7, of Healthways' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year end ended August 31, 2007, and Part I, Item 2 of Healthways' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended November 30, 2007. Consequently, actual operations and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Healthways undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements.

About Fleury

Based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and founded in 1926, Fleury has distinguished itself as a reference, integrated diagnostic service company in the country, performing more than 25 million diagnostic tests per year and providing medical communities and clients throughout Brazil with a range of high-quality services. Fleury's evolution has been guided by rigid ethical principles, technical and medical excellence and a focus on customized services. Commitment to these principles, powered by its innovative services, research and development of new tests and services, and adherence to the best scientific evidence led Fleury to be recognized by the general public and the medical community as the most renowned and trusted diagnostic center in Brazil. For the past three years, Fleury has also implemented a successful business diversification strategy by launching new, integrated health services in the fields of ambulatory surgery and health management, through health promotion/Wellness services. For more information, please visit www.fleury.com.br.

About Healthways

Healthways, Inc. is the leading provider of specialized, comprehensive Health and Care SupportSM solutions to help millions of people maintain or improve their health and, as a result, reduce overall healthcare costs. Healthways' solutions are designed to help healthy individuals stay healthy, mitigate and slow the progression of disease associated with family or lifestyle risk factors and promote the best possible health for those already affected by disease. Our proven, evidence-based programs provide highly specific and personalized interventions for each individual in a population, irrespective of age or health status, and are delivered to consumers by phone, mail, internet and face-to-face interactions, both domestically and internationally. Healthways also provides a national, fully accredited complementary and alternative Health Provider Network, offering convenient access to individuals who seek health services outside of, and in conjunction with, the traditional healthcare system. For more information, please visit www.healthways.com.

Source: Business Wire

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