URAC Legal And Regulatory Conference To Feature Kay Cole James, Director, Office Of Personnel Management

WASHINGTON, April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- URAC announced today that Kay Cole James, director, Office of Personnel Management, will be a featured speaker at its Annual Legal and Regulatory Conference, planned for May 26, 2004 in Washington, D.C.

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James will lead federal and state policy makers, health and legal experts, and other key decision makers to discuss recent legal, legislative and regulatory developments affecting health care and managed care, including:

   -- Election 2004: A Comparison of Health Care Agendas;
   -- Federal Agency Update: Federal Employees Health Benefits Program;
   -- Review of State Regulatory Activities and Initiatives in Health
      and Managed Care;
   -- A National Agenda for Electronic Health Care;
   -- Update on Medical Management Regulations;
   -- Overview of Legal Developments in Health and Managed Care; and
   -- HIPAA Security: Countdown to Implementation.

"Legislative and regulatory proposals both at the federal and state levels continue to have a profound impact on how health care is coordinated and delivered in the United States," said Garry Carneal, URAC president and CEO. "As a result, the conference is a 'must attend' event for anyone who wants to keep abreast of these changes."

Karen Freedman, director of Professional Standards/HIPAA Officer of AllMed Healthcare Management, Inc., and a previous attendee at URAC's Legal and Regulatory Conference said, "This conference is an opportunity for people who have responsibility for regulatory compliance in their organization to meet and hear from policy makers who are writing and enforcing the mandates that will affect the insurance industry. It is a great way to stay current with existing laws and apprised of pending legislation."

Detailed program information, registration and URAC's complete 2004 Educational Calendar can be found on the URAC Web site, http://www.urac.org/ . For more information on educational programs, contact Cindy Crawford, Education manager, at (202) 216-9010 or ccrawford@urac.org .

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation and certification programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information visit http://www.urac.org/ .

CONTACT: Danielle Potuto of URAC, +1-202-216-9010, ext. 8829, ordpotuto@urac.org

Web site: http://www.urac.org/