Mr. Paul Lepage reports

TELUS EARNS TWO-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH ONTARIO MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND LONG-TERM CARE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE HEALTH NETWORK SYSTEM

Telus Corp.'s Telus Health has made a two-year extension to its agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for the Health Network System (HNS). HNS provides computerized claim adjudication, pharmacy payment, and several batch and administrative support applications to the Ontario Public Drug Programs (OPDP). Pharmacies submit drug benefit claims electronically, and the HNS validates eligibility, provides drug utilization review information messages, authorizes payment and calculates the government share of eligible prescription costs.

Telus Health's management, operation and maintenance of electronic processing systems and technology support services enable the processing of drug claims under the OPDP. Under this two-year extension, approximately 125 million Ontario drug benefit (ODB) claims will be adjudicated and paid annually at Telus's advanced data facilities in Ontario.

"We are extremely pleased that Telus Health's contract to manage the largest, real-time, on-line transaction processing system in the Ontario government has been extended by two years," said Paul Lepage, senior vice-president, Telus Health. "This extension demonstrates our position as a trusted supplier in providing health information technology services and solutions to government agencies and private insurance companies. It also demonstrates our commitment to enable timely, efficient delivery of drug claims services and responsive administration of prescription drugs to qualified patients via pharmacies, hospitals and other registered health care facilities."

OPDP is supported by a portfolio of business solutions and information technology services comprising the HNS. Under the HNS agreement, Telus Health provides facilities management and operations, as well as application development, support and maintenance for a significant portion of the HNS. In addition to managing the Health Network System, Telus provides dedicated staff to support and enhance the system to meet the changing needs of the OPDP program.

By the end of 2011, more than 3,865 agencies and 161 hospitals were connected to the HNS, and more than 150 authorized users had system access. The system adjudicates about 125 million on-line real-time transactions per year from the approximately 2.2 million Ontarians using ODB programs. Operating 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, the HNS adjudicates more than 55,000 claims per hour at its busiest periods.