From Empirerelations.com

Healthcare/BioTech

Gen Re Expands Presence in China With Partnership With VHS
By MARKET WIRE
Apr 10, 2008 - 10:36:02 PM

SHANGHAI, CHINA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 04/10/08 -- Valurise Health Solutions ("VHS"), thepioneer in health management services in China, and Cologne ReinsuranceCompany ("Gen Re"), one of the largest international reinsurers, todayannounced a partnership between VHS and Gen Re to jointly expand Chronicdisease prevention and health management initiatives in China insuranceindustry and to provide support to insurers in domains of health insuranceproducts development and health insurance risk management in China.

In recent years, the development pace of China's comprehensive nationalstrength is astounding the world. The Chinese Government proposes theconstruction of a harmonious society, thus China's insurance industry facesunprecedented opportunities. An advanced integrated health managementservice system is the basic protection to the risk of disease, and is aneffective way to reduce the claim cost of health insurance. This firststrategic cooperation between a reinsurance company and a health managementservices company will promote the development of the Chinese insuranceindustry -- to guide policy holders to effectively reduce their diseaserisk. And also this Unprecedented cooperation will effectively promote thebusiness model development of the insurers and medical centers, from apurely medical model to an integrated model with value-added healthmanagement services, risk management solutions, and managed care services.

"We are excited that an internationally reputable reinsurance group such asGen Re has found common ground with our company. We strongly believe in themarket opportunity of the Chinese health insurance and healthcaremanagement market and are here to provide the best solution for insurancecompanies and related parties to address the challenges of non-communicablechronic diseases that exist in China today. We wish that Gen Re continuesto play an important role in promoting this developing insurance market inChina," said Rico Tong, CEO of Valurise.

Cologne Reinsurance Company (Gen Re):

Cologne Reinsurance Company was established in 1852. It merged withGeneral Re of USA in the 1990s. The group is now known as Gen Re. Thecompany, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is one of the largestinternational reinsurers. Based on professional technical service and riskmanagement, Gen Re has offices in more than 50 countries around the world. It has solid financial strength and excellent technical teams. Itsfinancial strength has received the highest ratings from Standard andPoor's (AAA), Moody's (Aaa) and A.M.Best (A++). See www.genre.com for moreinformation.