Horizon NJ Health's Chief Medical Officer Receives Community Award

(West Trenton, NJ — May 16, 2005) — The Institute for Nursing, the Foundation for the New Jersey State Nurses Association, has named Dr. Philip M. Bonaparte, Chief Medical Officer for Horizon NJ Health, as one of the recipients of the prestigious Exceptional People Impacting the Community (EPIC) Award for his outstanding efforts and service to New Jersey communities and his support of nursing. The award is given each year based on nominations made by nurses across the state.

"Dr. Bonaparte is an exceptional person who makes a daily impact on lives, particularly the underserved and those who experience disparities in care," commented Karen L. Clark, President and Chief Operating Officer for Horizon NJ Health, the state's largest managed health care company serving the publicly insured. "His compassion, medical expertise, creativity, and ability to connect with people and develop partnerships within the community continue to expand access and enhance the quality of health care for the publicly insured — our members."

Dr. Bonaparte was recognized for his accomplishments, which include:

• The Horizon NJ Health Care-A-Van, which partners with community and faith-based groups to offer health education and screenings;
• The nationally recognized Social Case Management Bedside Outreach and the Social Case Management On-Site ER at the Bedside programs;
• Several faith-based initiatives and community partnerships that help break down barriers and disparities in health care for minorities;
• The Health Outreach to Teens program that improves immunization and health education for 5,000 Newark school adolescents, ages 12 to 21;
• The Mom's GEMS (Getting Early Maternity Services) perinatal program for at-risk pregnant women; and
• The CHAMPS program for pediatric preventive health, which develops relationships between pediatric providers and parents for health education.

"We are very proud of Dr. Bonaparte's achievements and appreciate this acknowledgement from the nurses whose professional expertise, advocacy, and caring serve us all so well," noted Pamela Persichilli, RNC, Director of Utilization Management at Horizon NJ Health.

The EPIC Award presentations were held today at the Institute for Nursing luncheon in Edison, New Jersey. Previous EPIC Award Winners include: NJ State Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk; Sara Lee Kessler, Public Broadcasting/NJN-TV Health and Medical Correspondent; Amy B. Mansue, President for Children's Specialized Hospital and former Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor McGreevey; Monsignor Robert T. Sheeran, President, Seton Hall University; and Conrad Person, Director, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick.

Horizon NJ Health is New Jersey's largest managed health care organization serving the publicly insured, providing health services to more than 278,000 people in all 21 New Jersey counties. Headquartered in West Trenton, NJ, Horizon NJ Health is a subsidiary of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ). Horizon NJ Health's Web site is located at www.horizonNJhealth.com.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ), with headquarters in Newark, NJ, is New Jersey's largest health insurer, providing coverage to more than 3.1 million people. Horizon BCBSNJ's Web site is located at www.horizonblue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.