WASHINGTON, The following is a statement by Dr. There is now new technology that can
detect lung cancer earlier than ever before, providing patients with a
baseline diagnosis and significantly increasing the likelihood of survival. CT
Scans (computerized tomography) provide more detailed results providing hope
that as this technology becomes more widely available and affordable, more
people will be screened and a more effective computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD)
can be made available. The foundation has
provided a $1. More
information about Free + Clear can be found at http://www.

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More Americans lose
their lives to lung cancer annually than breast, prostate and colon cancers
combined and more must be done to prevent it.C. Visit
http: //www. 'Tobacco 101' Training Explains the Benefits of Comprehensive Tobacco
Treatment Programs

MINNEAPOLIS, With Hennepin and Ramsey counties
joining the ranks of Minnesota municipalities that ban workplace smoking, and
several others considering following suit, employers are wrestling with how to
cost-effectively help their employees comply with the law. "We needed to know how to steer our
employees in the right direction. "By
making tobacco treatment programs as accessible as possible, employers and
health plans have an opportunity to make a significant contribution to
reducing the terrible toll tobacco takes on public health.

Medica has
1.

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As the nation learns the news about Mr. Located in Washington, D.S. Medica also offers national network coverage
to employers who also have employees outside the Medica regional network.S with proof of
effectiveness published in multiple peer reviewed, scientific journals over
the course of nearly 20 years. Free + Clear is based in Seattle, Wash.

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Quitting smoking
does not eliminate the risk of lung cancer, but it does significantly reduce
the risk. The tobacco treatment specialist
works with participants one-on-one to develop a tailored quit plan and
provides guidance and support during the quit process. Participants
can call in to the program as many times as they want for the duration of
their treatment whenever they need additional support.com) is Minnesota 's largest HMO, largest PPO and
leading non-profit and independent provider of health plans.

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Cheryl Healton, President and CEO, American Legacy Foundation:

The American Legacy Foundation is saddened by the news that ABC News
Anchor, Peter Jennings, has been diagnosed with lung cancer.8 million matching grant to the Weill Medical College of Cornell
University, an international leader in CT screening for lung cancer detection
to conduct research that will demonstrate if CT screening for lung cancer can
be effectively linked to smoking cessation programs and enhance the motivation
for people to stop smoking.,
the foundation develops programs that address the health effects of tobacco
use through grants, technical assistance and training, youth activism,
strategic partnerships , counter-marketing and grassroots marketing campaigns,
public relations, and outreach to populations disproportionately affected by
the toll of tobacco.americanlegacy."
The conference also included continuing education sessions for Medica's
in-house medical professionals to increase the depth of their understanding
about tobacco dependence and give them additional tools for designing
quit -smoking initiatives and employee recruitment campaigns.medica. is a highly specialized tobacco treatment provider for
health plans, employers and government organizations.

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In making this
announcement , he joins the tens of thousands of Americans diagnosed with lung
cancer annually. Recently Medica --
the largest independent provider of health plans in Minnesota -- held a
"Tobacco 101" conference to clear the air and deliver useful, factual
information about tobacco cessation. (This was a) great topic and information
-- I am excited to roll it out to our employees.
"We felt that it was important to reach out to employers and help them
make informed decisions about how to implement tobacco programs effectively at
their workplaces," said Charles Fazio, M."
The training was presented by Free + Clear, Inc.com.

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The American Legacy Foundation was created as a result of the
November 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) reached between attorneys
general from 46 states, five US territories, and the tobacco industry.org.

Medica Helps Employers Respond to Smoke-Free Workplace Laws

"At the same time, we also felt a need to provide more information to our own
staff about effective strategies for encouraging tobacco users to enroll in
these programs."
The nationally recognized Free + Clear(R) Tobacco Treatment Program uses a
comprehensive, evidence-based approach to effectively tackle all three
elements of tobacco dependence: physical, behavioral and psychological . It opened a
Duluth regional office in 1996.

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Smoking-related trachea, lung and bronchus cancers together claim the
lives of nearly 125,000 men and women annually in the U. We also encourage the debate around the topic
of lung cancer that his diagnosis has generated so that the public can better
understand the facts and myths surrounding lung cancer.

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Smokers who quit do have higher survival rates.
We encourage the 92 million current and former smokers in this nation to
discuss with their doctors the risks of developing lung cancer and suggest
they get tested if they have concerns .
Employer representatives, plan administrators and insurance brokers
attended to learn more about the impact of tobacco use on productivity and the
potential return on investment from offering tobacco cessation programs.
Attendees also were trained on Medica's new "Smoke-free Work Site Kit ," an
interactive tool containing both information and resources to assist employers
and employees become smoke-free. With the support of research partners such as the National Cancer
Institute, government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, and private foundations such as the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, Free + Clear has become a national leader in the development ,
evaluation, and delivery of evidence-based tobacco cessation programs across
the United States .

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Statement by Dr. Cheryl Healton President and CEO American Legacy Foundation(R) on Lung Cancer and New Screening Technologies

Jennings, we hope that people who
are current or former smokers will use take this news seriously and consider
getting tested for lung cancer.
The American Legacy Foundation(R) is dedicated to building a world where
young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit . Free + Clear helps its
customers improve the health and risk status of their populations and control
related costs by reducing the prevalence of tobacco use.

tobacco substance

This diagnosis of lung cancer is an important reminder that we must
encourage youth never to start smoking and adults to quit. The foundation's national programs include Circle of
Friends(R), Great Start(R), a Priority Populations Initiative, Streetheory(R)
and truth(R).

," said Ken Wassum,
clinical manager for Free + Clear and one of the program presenters.2 million members and 24,000 providers in a regional health care network
service area that includes 98 percent of Minnesotans and a growing number of
adjoining counties in Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.

About Free + Clear
Free + Clear , Inc.

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The
program includes proactive phone-based treatment sessions with a professional
tobacco treatment specialist over the course of the program, along with a
printed Quit Kit of materials that help participants actively self-manage
their tobacco dependence between calls. Specialists also
provide protocol-driven decision support for medications including nicotine
replacement products (patch, gum or lozenges) or bupropion SR. Medica's vision is to become
the community's health plan of choice, trusted for its integrity, respected
for its service, and admired for its commitment to innovation and efficiency.

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S.
The American Legacy Foundation is funding new research to address whether
lung cancer screening can lead to tobacco cessation.
"We will definitely use it to promote smoking cessation," one attendee
wrote in a conference evaluation., Chief Medical Officer of Medica.
Over the past 20 years, Free + Clear's work has focused on designing,
testing and delivering easily accessible services that help people quit
tobacco.freeclear.

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We also must do
more to diagnose lung cancer sooner when it is most treatable and survivable. In November, Medica
extended these programs to its 400,000 fully insured commercial members, with
plans to expand to self-funded members in the future.
"Quitting tobacco is a difficult process, which is why tobacco remains the
leading cause of preventable illness and death in the U.
Medica has the highest accreditation status, Excellent, from the National
Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA(R)) for its Minnesota and North Dakota
Medicaid HMO plans and commercial health plans.

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Our hope is that his lung cancer has been detected early and
he stands to make a full recovery.D., which has provided
tobacco treatment programs for Medica members since 2000.

About Medica
Medica (http://www. More than 49 million
people have access to the Free + Clear Tobacco Treatment Program , which is the
only commercial tobacco treatment program in the U.