Budco's Dependent Audit Solution Continues To Slash Health Care Expenses

DETROIT--Aug. 31, 2006--Budco, the Highland Park based marketing services and distribution company, continues to see strong demand for its Health Care Dependent Audit solution. This solution, proprietary to the company, is designed to help organizations reduce their health care expenditures and realize significant cost savings.

"The demand for our Dependent Audit solution has been increasing steadily, along with the cost of health care benefits," said Michael Watson, Vice President of Sales. "Generally speaking, our clients are looking for a best practices approach. Some are drawn to the solution because of the immediate cost savings result; others consider it their fiduciary responsibility to ensure the proper allocation of health care costs within their organizations."

To date, Budco has conducted audits for nearly two-dozen Fortune 100 companies in industries ranging from financial services to manufacturing to travel & leisure to automotive. Cumulatively, the company has stripped out over $400,000,000 in budgets, because of dependent ineligibility. Budco's Dependent Audit clients include American Airlines, DaimlerChrysler, Delta Airlines, Ford Motor Company, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Northwest Airlines, and UPS.

Budco's solution is a proprietary multi-phase process that assesses the eligibility of dependents covered by employees on their health care contracts. Dependents may be ineligible for various reasons, based on guidelines established by an employer. Budco consults with customers to provide custom designs, according to an employer's specific needs. Designs involve communications, database analysis, reporting and cost recovery in a highly controlled environment.

"Additionally, a number of our customers are instituting processes to ensure the validity of dependents that are reported by new hires," said Mr. Watson. "It's been common for employers to conduct background screenings. A Dependent Audit is just another part of the process aimed at ensuring the integrity of an important employee benefit, while having long-term cost implications."

Budco reports that the national average cost of coverage for a dependent is $2,700. On average, 10%-15% of subscribers have been found to have ineligible dependents listed. With this being the case, a large player can save literally millions of dollars by eliminating those who are not entitled to benefits.

The Budco Health Care Dependent Audit Process is just one of the many solutions that Budco provides to corporate customers to help them address their critical business challenges. This Process is part of the company's Health Care Services Division, which focuses on marketing and communications of health care and health benefits related messages.

About Budco

Budco helps corporations address business communication problems and build dialogue with their customers by developing and executing custom-designed, results-focused marketing and distribution initiatives. Budco solutions utilize the company's comprehensive in-house competencies. This includes BudcoIT, the company's robust information technologies resource. Founded in 1982, the company's vision is to be recognized as the leader in providing dialogue business solutions, measured by customer loyalty, attracting and retaining outstanding employees, community involvement, and financial growth. Customers include Comerica, DaimlerChrysler, Entertainment Publications, Inc., Federal-Mogul Corporation, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, The HoneyBaked Ham Company, McCormick Distilling Co., Inc., McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc. (both divisions of Johnson & Johnson), Procter & Gamble, TAP, VW/Audi, and The Walt Disney Company. Additional information about Budco is available at www.budco.com.