GROUP HEALTH NAMED OFFICIAL MEDICAL SPONSOR OF THE 2010 U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

- Designated health care provider to 1,500 elite athletes, coaches, and officials -

SPOKANE, Wash. (July 29, 2008) - U.S. Figure Skating announced today that Group Health has been named the official medical sponsor for the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane. Group Health will provide health care to the approximately 1,500 elite athletes, coaches and officials who make the championships a reality.

"We enjoyed providing medical care to the skaters in Spokane last year and leaped at the chance to be part of the fun in 2010,” Group Health President and CEO Scott Armstrong said. "This is a great opportunity to showcase the expertise of our clinical staff alongside the best skating athletes in the world. We are proud to be part of the community that has achieved the distinction of hosting this event."

"Group Health was one of the essential ingredients to the success of the 2007 State Farm U.S. Championships," said Toby Steward of Star USA. "We received rave reviews from a great number of skaters and coaches, stating that they received outstanding medical care in Spokane, and that Group Health went well above and beyond in taking care of them. When Group Health was the first company to step up immediately after we won the bid and commit to the even bigger responsibility of being our medical  sponsor in this most important year for the athletes, we were ecstatic."

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships, held annually since 1914, is the nation's most prestigious figure skating event, with past winners including such skating luminaries as Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano and Scott Hamilton. National champions will be crowned in 12 events: ladies, men's, pairs and ice dancing in the senior, junior and novice levels. The 2010 U.S. Championships will be the final event prior to U.S Figure Skating nominating the athletes who will compete in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, which will take place 18 days after the championships conclude.

Group Health was the official medical sponsor when Spokane hosted the U.S. Championships in 2007. As the medical sponsor, Group Health's medical team will be available from the first practices at 6 a.m. until after midnight, for 11 days and 10 nights, treating anything from sprains and bruises to colds and flu. They will also be providing the several thousand medical supplies needed to take care of the skaters, coaches and officials.

Local Spokane doctor and former competitive skater, Ed Reisman, MD, will again serve as the medical director for the event. He will be joined by another ice skating doctor, Alisa Hideg, MD, assistant medical director of the Group Health medical team and local Group Health family physician.

In 2007 the event experienced unprecedented success, including an all-time attendance record. The 2007 U.S. Championships received the prestigious honor of being recognized as the "Sports Event of the Year" and "Amateur Sporting Event of the Year" by SportsTravel magazine.

More about the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

The 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be organized by Star USA, which spearheaded the effort that led to Spokane's hosting the State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 2007. The championships traditionally attract more than 100,000 spectators throughout the week. Tickets for the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships are available by calling 1-800-325-SEAT (or within Spokane, 325-SEAT), by visiting the website at www.spokane2010.com or at the Spokane Arena Box Office.  Organizations interesting in sponsoring the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships can contact Star USA at 509-448-6829 for details.

Group Health Cooperative

Marking its 61st year, Group Health Cooperative is an innovative, consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that integrates care and coverage. Along with its subsidiary carriers, Group Health Options, Inc., and KPS Health Plans, Group Health works to improve the health of more than 585,000 plan members in Washington and Idaho.

More than 9,000 staff employed by Group Health and Group Health Permanente, its contracted, multispecialty group practice, provide patient-centered, evidence-based care to members and the broader community through medical and specialty centers, hospitals, a charitable foundation and a nationally recognized research center. 

Please visit the Group Health virtual newsroom at http://www.ghc.org/, under "Newsroom."