FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Beth Sammis (301) 838-5638
September 9, 1998

MAMSI SECURES THREE YEAR, FULL ACCREDITATION FROM NCQA

Rockville, MD – Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Inc. (MAMSI) (NYSE - MME), one of the leading managed care companies in the mid-Atlantic region, today announced it was awarded three year, full accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for two of its health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Full accreditation is granted to those plans that have excellent programs for continuous quality improvement and meet NCQA’s rigorous standards.

"We are very pleased to receive this full accreditation by NCQA, " said George T. Jochum, MAMSI Chairman, CEO and President. "MAMSI is committed to providing access to affordable, quality health care for all our members. Our emphasis on service and value and the commitment of our workforce has allowed us to meet this goal."

MD-Individual Practice Association, Inc. (M.D. IPA) and Optimum Choice, Inc. (OCI) received three year, full accreditation from NCQA. M.D. IPA and OCI operate in Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, West Virginia, and Delaware. The two HMOs cover about 550,000 lives. M.D. IPA and OCI offer traditional HMO coverage and a preferred option, an open ended version of the HMO. The full accreditation applies to both types of coverage.

NCQA conducts a voluntary review of managed care organizations. The review includes rigorous on-site and off-site evaluations by a team of physicians and managed care experts. NCQA evaluates how a health plan ensures that its members are receiving high quality care.

"We are pleased that NCQA has recognized our success in continuous quality improvement," said Mark Groban, M.D., Medical Director for Quality Improvement. "Our commitment to working with our large provider network to maintain high quality standards gives our members the freedom to choose physicians and other health care practitioners that best meet their personal needs."

"All of us at MAMSI are proud to have achieved this important distinction in the managed care industry," Mr. Jochum said. "This distinction provides an extra element of confidence in MAMSI for our members and all consumers."

MAMSI is a regional holding company for health care organizations that provide comprehensive health insurance products and services.