(Dallas, Texas, January 25, 2006) - ppoNEXT announces James M. Pennington as its new President and Chief Executive Officer upon the retirement of Jack D. Williams, former President and CEO. Soon after joining the organization in early 2004, as Chief Operating Officer, Pennington assumed expanded responsibilities including the leadership and growth of NEXT care management, a subsidiary of ppoNEXT. Mr. Pennington was promoted to Executive Vice President and elected to the ppoNEXT Board of Directors in June of 2005.

Mr. Pennington's career has included key executive positions at leading third party administration and multi-product employee benefits companies. Most recently, he was the President & CEO of USI Administrators, Inc., a national third party administrator headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Prior to his tenure at USIA, Pennington served as President and CEO of Medex International, Inc., a division of Houston Casualty Company, and Acordia National, Inc. Pennington holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Master's degree in Safety Management from West Virginia University. Mr. Pennington also attended the Young Executive Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Commenting on his new role, Pennington states, "I look forward to the opportunity of positioning ppoNEXT as one of the leading Health Management companies in the country. We have a very exciting and challenging year before us."

About ppoNEXT:

ppoNEXT is a leading provider of nationwide healthcare management and network services. With its focus on providing consumers with the utmost in quality healthcare, ppoNEXT selects only providers and facilities of uncompromising quality and excellence. Based in Dallas, Texas, ppoNEXT offers clients access to over 450,000 physicians, over 3,700 hospitals, and thousands of leading ancillary care providers in key markets such as the Midwest, Texas, California, and Florida. ppoNEXT serves self-funded employers, third party administrators, insurance carriers, HMOs, and various managed care firms. ppoNEXT also offers disease management, as well as utilization review and care management services through its subsidiary, NEXT care management.

For more information about ppoNEXT, please contact:

Etta Jones
Corporate Marketing
214.267.3394