LifeWatch Teams With UnitedHealthcare, The Largest Healthcare Insurer In The United States, As A Preferred National Provider Of Cardiac Monitoring Services To Reduce Patient Costs

ROSEMONT, Ill., Feb. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeWatch AG (SIX Swiss Exchange: LIFE) today announces an initiative with UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, an affiliate of United-Health Group (NYSE: UNH) that will provide members insured by UnitedHealthcare in-network access to LifeWatch cardiac monitoring services and technologies. LifeWatch is proud to continue our preferred national relationship that began December 1, 2006. The purpose of this initiative is to substantially reduce patient co-pays and deductibles associated with the use of out-of-network cardiac monitoring services provided by other monitoring services.

LifeWatch is the leading independent provider of remote cardiac arrhythmia monitoring devices, home sleep studies and services in the USA, which assist physicians and patients in the early detection and treatment of arrhythmia Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), and can thus prevent heart diseases, stroke, or sudden cardiac death. Millions of people experience arrhythmia and sleep apnea. Typical arrhythmia symptoms include palpitations, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, chest pain and shortness of breath. OSA patients are at risk for a multitude of comorbidities including atrial fibrillation. LifeWatch's services enable a physician who is treating a patient with arrhythmia to prescribe his patient with a range of cardiac monitoring devices that records irregularities in the heart's electrical activity up to a 30-day period. The recorded data is transmitted to the LifeWatch call center, which processes the information and sends a detailed report to the referring physician for interpretation and treatment decisions. Making the LifeWatch services in-network simplifies the process by which a doctor can prescribe them to patients who are insured by UnitedHealthcare.

"LifeWatch is privileged to continue our existing relationship with UnitedHealthcare," said Yacov Geva, LifeWatch president and CEO. "Our agreement strengthens the position of our Client Executives when they approach physicians, health care professionals, and hospitals that are members of the UnitedHealthcare network. Our agreement also provides UnitedHealthcare and their members with an all-inclusive in-network provider for remote cardiac monitoring services. UnitedHealthcare contracted providers are assured access to state of the art devices and reporting for their patients' cardiac monitoring care."

LifeWatch is accredited from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (The Joint Commission) under the program classification of "Ambulatory Health Care Programs." LifeWatch is one of only a few independent diagnostic testing facilities worldwide that have received this Gold Seal of Approval^™.

About LifeWatch AG

LifeWatch AG, headquartered in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland and listed on SIX Swiss Exchange (LIFE), is the leading healthcare technology and solutions company, specializing in advanced telemedicine systems and wireless remote patient monitoring services. LifeWatch provides services to high-risk and chronically ill patients, health conscious consumers and wellness programs. LifeWatch has subsidiaries in the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Israel. LifeWatch AG is the parent company of LifeWatch Services, Inc., a leading US-based wireless remote telemedicine provider. LifeWatch services include Home Sleep Testing for Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients under the brand name NiteWatch. For additional information, please visit www.lifewatch.com and www.nitewatchservices.com.

About UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making health care work better. With headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual, UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, UnitedHealthcare Community & State, OptumHealth, Ingenix and Prescription Solutions.  Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 75 million people worldwide.  Visit www.unitedhealthgroup.com for more information. 

SOURCE LifeWatch AG