HSI EXTENDS REPRICING AND BILL REVIEW SERVICES WITH ACQUISITION OF
ASERT BENEFIT SERVICES.

Indianapolis, Indiana. –February 1, 2008 – Health Systems International, a leading provider of outsourced medical cost management solutions to payors and health care provider networks around the world, today announced that it has acquired Asert Benefits Services, Inc. Asert is a privately-held leader in medical claim negotiation, bill review, and bill audit services.


The combined companies administer complex medical claim repricing and bill review services for their clients utilizing proprietary technology, experienced staff and the market’s broadest selection of medical discount solutions. Their solutions are designed to relieve clients’ administrative burden and achieve the lowest possible cost of care.

Russell W. Sherlock, Chief Executive Officer of HSI, said, "Asert makes an exceptional fit for HSI. Through Asert we will improve our management capabilities in the area of review and negotiation of high dollar medical
bills. Additionally, we will establish a local presence in Miami and expand our multi-lingual staff to better serve the needs of our global clientele. With this one transaction, we accomplish the dual objectives of expanding our medical cost management solutions and continuing our growth into new markets.”

“Asert’s current customers will benefit from access to HSI’s PPO network relationships and repricing services, which can now be integrated with medical bill review and negotiations”, Sherlock added, “Overall, we were very impressed with Joe Antonell, President of Asert, and his team and believe the combination will produce better results for our customers. This is just the first of many exciting new offerings that will be made available to the clients of HSI and Asert. We will continue to research and develop expanded technologies, markets, and services our goal of becoming the leading provider of medical cost management solutions is on track.”


“Asert started out contracting with HSI as our primary and secondary repricing vendor,” added Joe Antonell. “Our clients were very happy with our expertise in fee negotiations and bill review for in and out-of-network
medical bills and were asking us to provide them with integrated PPO network services. HSI was the perfect solution with their single gateway approach to 100 different US PPOs. After working with them to integrate
their services, we found our operations would be a perfect fit for both companies’ clients. We will now be able to offer a complete, fully integrated medical cost management solution to our combined clients.”


As part of the transaction, Joseph M. Antonell has been named President of HSI’s Bill Review Division.


About HSI
Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, HSI is a healthcare information technology company offering outsourced medical cost management solutions to health plan payors and provider networks around the world. HSI is backed by Great Point Partners, LLC, a private investment firm with over $900 million of equity capital under management. Since 1987, HSI has utilized proprietary technology, experienced staff and the broadest
selection of medical discount solutions to relieve client’s administrative burdens and achieve the lowest possible cost of care.


About Asert
Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Asert Benefit Services is a Medical Cost Management Company focused on high dollar bill reduction services which span bill review for in and out-of–network medical bills, fee negotiations and medical record audits. The company primarily serves the employer self insurance industry and US payor market.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Asert Implements New Web Services Based Claims Repricing Application to expedite the processing of electronic claims.

Asert recently implemented a Web Services based claims reprising application that allows our clients to send/receive electronic claims directly from their internal application into Asert’s Cost Management system. This new service gives Asert clients a new option for submitting electronic claims, besides the use of 837 EDI files.

The XML application uses a rapid development process (approximately 1 month to implement), which is not only cost effective for Asert’s clients, but also allows us to reduce the claims processing complexity and response time.

Please contact us to obtain more information on this new service.
 
 
 
 
Rick Vazquez, Director, Operations and Information Technology
 
Mr. Vazquez has been promoted to Director, Operations and Information Technology. He joined Asert 3 years ago with over 25 years of IT and Management experience, specializing in leading teams, systems management disciplines and database management systems. He was former Director of Database Management Systems.

During his career, he has expanded from being South Florida’s Database Specialist for a large corporation to holding various IT Director positions, to include Database and End User Computing. He has extensive consulting experience and led the development and implementation of several large systems with several major insurance companies and corporations. His work at Asert includes supporting and enhancing our existing infrastructure, and strategically positioning Asert in the development of new systems in support of new EDI services, in order to enhance our existing client base from all around the world.

He has streamlined many of Asert’s processes and has established the necessary system disciplines and infrastructure enhancements to maximize system availability.