LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 1999--Meridian Holdings Inc. (OTC BB:MEHO), Friday announced that CAPNET.com (http://www.capnet.com), a division of Meridian Holdings Inc., has officially released the Version 5.0 of "The Mirage Systems Internet-based Healthcare Transaction Management Software Program." This program has been under development since 1994, and has undergone rigorous testing prior to current deployment. The software program was originally developed as a cross-platform software program (Microsoft Windows and Macintosh) by Intercare Diagnostics Inc. (http://www.intercare.com: A world-renowned biomedical software development company) utilizing Microsoft FoxPro Software Development tool, in 1993. The development of the Internet Version of the Program was started in 1994, under joint development efforts between Intercare Diagnostics Inc., A Microsoft Developer Network ISV Member, and CAPNET.com, an Internet-based E-Commerce Transactions and Management division of Meridian Holdings, utilizing Microsoft Corporation software development tools. The current software was developed with Microsoft Visual Interdev 6.0, and it is 100% compatible with Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5, Microsoft SQL 7.0, Microsoft Access 7.0 and above, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and above, and Netscape 4.0 and above. The estimated street value of this program is over $5 million and expected to appreciate in value, when all the program features are fully implemented in subsequent versions. Under the joint development agreement, Meridian Holdings has an exclusive license to use this software program to conduct healthcare transactions over the Internet, including but not limited to Claims and Encounter Data Submission, Eligibility Verifications, Outcome analysis and Drug Utilization analysis, etc. So far the following contracted health plan partners, LA Care Health Plan, County of Los Angeles Community Health Plan, Blue Cross of California, Care1st Health Plan and Molina Medical Centers, have been connected to the Network as of January 1999. This newly released version will allow Capnet contracted Physicians and Hospitals to utilize the program at no cost, while other non-affiliated healthcare providers can only logon to the network on fee-based transaction arrangements. Anthony C. Dike, MD, Chairman & CEO of Meridian Holdings, also the founder and pioneer of the CAPNET.com (Computer Aided Provider NETwork) conceptual model, believes that, "The next 10 years are already invented -- and the tools are here but the challenge is to use the technology in new ways, and not the old ways." This recent development is the beginning of more exciting things to come to the trillion-dollar health-care industry. Dike has pioneered the development of several health-care-related software programs including "The Mirage Systems Multimedia Biofeedback Interface," the first United States FDA-approved software program for relaxation, self-regulation and biofeedback training. From time to time, the Company may issue news releases that contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material may contain statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. For those statements, the Company claims the protection of the Safe Harbor for forward-looking statement provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any amendments thereto. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." "Forward-looking statements" are based upon expectations, estimates and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated. "Forward-looking statements" in this action may be identified through the use of words such as "expects," "will," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes" or by statements indicating that certain actions "may," "could," or "might" occur. --30--AJE/la* KR/la CONTACT: Meridian Holdings Inc., Los Angeles Anthony C. Dike, 213/627-8878 acdike@capnet.com capnet.com |