WALTHAM, Mass.--(BW HealthWire)--March 5, 2001--The National Managed Health Care Congress (NMHCC) industry's premier managed health care education and conferencing organization, today announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with MCOL (Managed Care On-Line), the leading health care information technology company specializing in delivering business-to-business managed care knowledge resources. The NMHCC and MCOL partnership benefits both organizations and their respective audiences. Providing timely and relevant health care information to providers, insurers, employers, and others, both NMHCC and MCOL have a strong presence in the healthcare marketplace and on the web. By working together, they will better serve their respective audiences, while expanding their reach. One new initiative born directly out of the new alliance is the new NMHCC periodic e-newsletter, which will be produced and distributed online by MCOL on behalf of NMHCC.

Says MCOL President Clive Riddle, "NMHCC is a widely respected and high-quality organization in the health care arena, with its finger on the pulse of health care from every perspective. The partnership furthers our commitment to offer MCOL members informative and valuable on-line content. We are very pleased to partner with NMHCC and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship."

According to NMHCC President Tara Laubinger, MCOL provides an excellent online vehicle through its well-established venue to reach a multitude of individuals and organizations with a vested interest in managed care. "We are delighted to partner with MCOL and look forward to enhancing our ability to disseminate timely and relevant health care information that much more efficiently," said Laubinger. The first issue of @NMHCC, the NMHCC e-newsletter, will be launched in early March.

MCOL is a six-year-old health care Internet company delivering business-to-business managed care resources. MCOL has become the recognized Internet leader in the delivery of knowledge resources to professionals involved in managed care. MCOL business lines include: Membership-based services through Managed Care On-Line and Global Health Resources.Com; e-Commerce through the Managed Care Store; and Business e-Solutions. MCOL is based in Modesto, California, with additional offices in Portland, Oregon. For more information, please visit www.mcol.com/about.htm.

Each year, NMHCC presents the world's largest and most influential managed healthcare event. Being held for its fourth consecutive year in Atlanta, GA, NMHCC hosts more than 300 exhibiting companies, over 7,000 top-level healthcare industry attendees and 300 industry experts in over 100 conference sessions focusing on solutions for the dynamic healthcare industry.

NMHCC will hold its 13th Annual spring conference on March 19 - March 21, 2001, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. As the industry's premier managed health care event, NMHCC features keynote presentations addressing a wide array of pertinent managed health care themes. This year, Donna Shalala, Former Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, is just one of the many high-profile keynote speakers who will offer their insight into healthcare. Ms. Shalala is presenting Wednesday, March 21, "Health Care in Crisis, Where Do We Go from Here?"

NMHCC, with offices in Waltham, MA, is the leading provider of strategic business information and education for the healthcare industry. NMHCC provides cutting-edge conferences and expositions, encompassing the wide scope of critical healthcare issues facing the industry today. NMHCC's additional services include event management expertise and public seminars. For a complete show listing, visit the web site at http://www.nmhcc.org.

Members of the press are warmly welcome to attend the NMHCC National Spring Conference! For a complimentary press pass, please pre-register by contacting: Elise L. Freedman, 781.663.6525 EFreedman@nmhcc.com