MARGARET LEONARD OF HUDSON HEALTH PLAN TO SERVE ON 2005-2006 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CASE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY OF AMERICA

(Tarrytown, NY) --Margaret (Peggy) Leonard, MS, RN, C, FNP, CM, of Tarrytown, NY, has been renamed to the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) Board of Directors for the 2005-2006 term, Susan A. Rogers, CMSA President recently announced. As Vice President for Clinical Services at Hudson Health Plan, Ms. Leonard has developed case management programs to improve care and quality of life for thousands of members of the not-for-profit managed care organization.

"Case management can mean the difference between life and death for many of our members, many of whom are economically disadvantaged and unaccustomed to dealing with the complexities of our health care system," says Ms. Leonard. "Patients rely on us to advocate for them, help them understand their condition, and reduce the barriers that keep them from getting the treatment they need."

Among the Hudson Health Plan case management programs that Ms. Leonard has implemented are:

Ms. Leonard holds leadership positions in numerous professional associations. She is Chair of the American Nurses Credentialing Center Nurse Case Management Expert Panel; Chair of the CMSA Legislative Committee; Chair of New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) Legislative Council, and a member of NYSNA Political Action Committee.  She has served on the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission/URAC Case Management Advisory Committee and has been involved in national research projects with the Center for Health Care Strategies. With the Medical Director of the New York State Department of Health's Office of Managed Care, Ms. Leonard co-chairs the statewide Case Management Work Group. In addition, Ms. Leonard is an adjunct instructor at the College of New Rochelle, School of Nursing, where she teaches the politics of health care.

About Hudson Health Plan
Founded in the mid-1980s by a coalition of community health centers, Hudson Health Plan works to serve the best interests of its members and providers. The Tarrytown based not-for-profit organization has approximately 56,000 members in Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess counties in the lower Hudson Valley. A leader among health plans, Hudson Health Plan has been driving health care innovation in the Hudson Valley by developing technology to support clinical quality initiatives and streamline the enrollment process for Medicaid Managed Care, Child Health Plus, and Family Health Plus.
Hudson Health Plan is the winner of the 2005 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Corporate Award for diversity from the YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester; the 2005 Advancements in Health Care Award from Hudson Valley Life and Hudson Valley Parent; and the 2003 Community Leadership Award from New York Health Plan Association.

About the Case Management Society of America
Established in 1990, the Case Management Society of America has over 9,000 members and is an international non-profit 501 (c)(6), multi-disciplinary, professional organization dedicated to the support and advancement of the case management profession. Since its inception, CMSA has been at the forefront of setting professional standards for the industry, which allows for the highest level of efficiency and integrity, as well as developing national and local leaders who are recognized for their practice and professional excellence.