Symmetry Health Data Systems Announces Agreement with CIGNA

Symmetry Health Data Systems Inc, a leading health care analytic software developer, has signed an agreement with CIGNA HealthCare. One of the nation's leading providers of health benefits and managed care programs, CIGNA HealthCare and its affiliates will use Symmetry's patented Episode Treatment Groups (ETG) software to assess and improve the quality of medical care delivered to CIGNA HealthCare plan participants.

Symmetry's patented ETG methodology is an illness classification and episode chronology software product currently used by more than 300 managed health care plans and their providers across the U.S. ETG software captures all clinically relevant services and prescriptions provided during a patient's treatment, and organizes the data into episodes of care. ETGs serve as analytical units to measure and compare financial performance, health care demand, provider treatment regimens and numerous other disease management and outcome management strategies.

"CIGNA HealthCare is a leading edge organization that understands the many benefits of ETG- based applications," says Mitchell Portnoy, Symmetry's co-founder and COO. "I'm sure CIGNA HealthCare will use ETGs in innovative ways to help their plan participants achieve and maintain good health and to help provide quality, cost-affordable health care coverage products."

"CIGNA HealthCare uses ETGs to help us provide responsive customer service, affordable health care coverage and enhanced relationships with the providers in our networks," said Dr. Victor Villagra, National Medical Executive for CIGNA HealthCare.

Among investor-owned managed care and indemnity companies, CIGNA HealthCare is one of the nation's leading providers of health-benefit programs with products marketed in all 50 states and managed care networks serving 45 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. CIGNA HealthCare currently provides medical coverage through managed care and indemnity programs to more than 14.3 million people and dental care and mental health coverage to more than 25.4 million. CIGNA HealthCare is a division of CIGNA Corporation.

Symmetry Health Data Systems Inc, a health care analytic tool developer, was founded in 1993. Symmetry's principals invented many of the techniques and software platforms which today are industry standards for Managed Care organizations, insurance carriers, Fortune 1000 corporations, as well as the Federal government. Episode Treatment Groups (ETGs) are protected under United States Patent 5,835,897. United States and International patents pending. Visit Symmetry Health Data Systems Inc on the Web at www.symmetry-health.com.

Contact Bill Andres of B.J. Communications, Inc, 602-277-9530, for Symmetry Health Data Systems Inc.