Healthways Among First in the Nation to Achieve Accreditation for URAC’s Comprehensive Wellness Standards and Measures Program

URAC announced that Healthways, Inc. (NASDAQ: HWAY) is among the first to achieve accreditation for its new Comprehensive Wellness program. Achievement of this status means Healthways has demonstrated its commitment to industry-recognized program quality standards and has earned the URAC seal of approval.

Healthways’ comprehensive wellness solutions are helping approximately 30 million people maintain and improve their health. Healthways’ programs are designed to help healthy individuals stay healthy and mitigate the impact of family and lifestyle risk factors. Healthways’ solutions are designed to inspire healthier lifestyles at each stage of life.

"Healthways has a long commitment to delivering best-in-class, evidence based solutions to improve health, and URAC’s new Comprehensive Wellness standards and measures provide an essential framework for wellness program evaluation and performance measurement,” said James Pope, M.D., executive vice president, chief science officer, Healthways. "We are pleased to receive this confirmation of our commitment to rigorous quality standards for our wellness programs.”

Comprehensive Wellness is the first new accreditation program from URAC with integrated program evaluation and performance measurement components. The standards were developed by an expert advisory group of employers, health plans, consumer representatives, public benefits organizations, health care professional associations, providers and wellness companies.

"Healthways has distinguished itself by being among the first Wellness companies in the nation to earn accreditation in this arena,” said Alan P. Spielman, URAC’s president and CEO. "It demonstrates the organization has met objective criteria surrounding its quality practices and is a signal to employers of Healthways’ commitment to excellence.”

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, about 86 percent of U.S. employers currently offer wellness programs to their employees.¹ Employers have embraced worksite wellness programs as a means to improve, maintain and support employee health and to enhance productivity. URAC’s Comprehensive Wellness Standards and Measures provide a tangible means for employers to evaluate wellness program capabilities and performance.

Safe Harbor Provisions

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In order for Healthways to utilize the "safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, investors are hereby cautioned that these statements may be affected by the important factors, among others, included in the discussion in Part I, Item 1A, and Part II, Item 7, of Healthways' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year end ended August 31, 2008, and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Consequently, actual operations and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Healthways undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements.

About URAC

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation and education 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 www.urac.org.

About Healthways

Healthways is the leading provider of specialized, comprehensive Health and Care Support^SM solutions to help millions of people maintain or improve their health and, as a result, reduce overall healthcare costs. Healthways' solutions are designed to help healthy individuals stay healthy, mitigate and slow the progression of disease associated with family or lifestyle risk factors and promote the best possible health for those already affected by disease. Our proven, evidence-based programs provide highly specific and personalized interventions for each individual in a population, irrespective of age or health status, and are delivered to consumers by phone, mail, internet and face-to-face interactions, both domestically and internationally. Healthways also provides a national, fully accredited complementary and alternative Health Provider Network, offering convenient access to individuals who seek health services outside of, and in conjunction with, the traditional healthcare system. For more information, please visit www.healthways.com.

¹ Gurchiek, Kathy. "Wellness Programs Are Growing Global Phenomenon, Report Finds.” Society for Human Resource Management. October 17, 2007. http://www.shrm.org/hrnews_published/archives/CMS_023366.asp.