Metropolitan Health Networks reports 2.9% increase in revenue for first-quarter 2010

Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc. (NYSE AMEX:MDF), a leading provider of healthcare services in Florida, today announced the financial results for their first quarter ended March 31, 2010. Highlights include the following:

• Net income of $7.1 million in the first quarter of 2010 or $0.18 per basic share, compared to $4.0 million or $0.09 per basic share in the year ago quarter;
• Medical expense ratio of 81.7% compared to 87.9% in first quarter of 2009; and
• Total outstanding shares of common stock reduced by 1.7 million shares since December 31, 2009 to 39.7 million at March 31, 2010.

First Quarter Financial Highlights:

The Company recognized revenue of $93.0 million for the first quarter of 2010 as compared to $90.4 million in the 2009 first quarter, a 2.9% increase. Medical expense, on a per customer per month basis, decreased 5.4% in the first quarter of 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009. The Company's consolidated MER was 81.7% in the first quarter of 2010 compared to 87.9% in the same quarter of 2009.

Operating income was $11.2 million in 2010 first quarter compared to $6.4 million in 2009. Net income for the 2010 first quarter was $7.1 million or $0.18 per share basic and $0.17 diluted as compared to $4.0 million or $0.09 per basic share and $.08 diluted for the same quarter last year.

Customer Information:

Medicare Advantage customers increased to 35,400 at March 31, 2010 as compared to 34,900 customers at March 31, 2009, an increase of 500 members. Total customer months, the combined total customers for each month of the measurement period, increased by 1.1% to 106,700 in 2010, up from 105,500 in 2009.

Balance Sheet Highlights:

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments at March 31, 2010 totaled $30.3 million compared to $33.8 million at December 31, 2009. This reduction is primarily a result of the continued repurchase of our common stock and the increase in the amount due from Humana partially offset by our net income and the sale of short-term investments. During the quarter, we repurchased 1.7 million shares of our common stock for $3.9 million. Our net working capital increased to $33.4 million at March 31, 2010 from $27.7 million at December 31, 2009, an increase of $5.7 million or 20.6%.

Share Repurchase Program:

On February 24, 2010, the Company's Board of Directors approved a 5 million share increase to its previously announced share repurchase program bringing the total number of shares of common stock authorized for repurchase under the program to 20 million shares. From the inception of the program through March 31, 2010 the Company has repurchased 13.7 million shares of its common stock, and options exercisable to purchase 684,200 shares of our common stock, at an average cost of $1.90 per share. Shares repurchased from January 1 through March 31, 2010 totaled approximately 1.7 million reducing total shares then outstanding to approximately 39.7 million. Approximately 5.6 million shares remain available for purchase under the plan. The number of shares to be repurchased and the timing of the purchases will be influenced by a number of factors, including the then prevailing market price of the common stock of the Company, other perceived opportunities that may become available to the Company, and regulatory requirements.

Michael Earley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc., commented, "We are delighted with our first quarter results. 2010 is a year of transition and challenge for the Medicare Advantage industry as we face declining base premiums. A combination of strategies including improved medical management, continuing focus on revenue compliance, reduced plan benefits and the elimination of unprofitable plans resulted in a terrific start to the year. While one quarter doesn't make a trend, and we don't assume these outstanding results are a trend, it is clear that our efforts are positioning us for another good year, and convince us that our business model initiatives are further positioning us for continued success."

Earley noted further, "While net membership grew slightly, we note that we and our industry faced dramatic uncertainty during the health care reform debate of the last 18 months. As we have often discussed, management's decision to focus our resources and energy on improving our operations was clearly the right strategy for our company. We achieved record bottom line results in 2009, continuing through Q1 2010, but more importantly we made significant progress developing and implementing the Patient Centered Medical Home model of primary care and related initiatives. Investment in these efforts continue, of course, but we are already seeing tangible results today in terms of improved customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and medical and financial outcomes from these initiatives. With passage of the recent legislation, the paths and opportunities in the future are clearer, and we are better prepared to focus on growth. We believe that Medicare Advantage will continue as a viable and attractive health care alternative for the soon to boom senior population, and we believe that consumer-centric, coordinated care will best serve this market in terms of customer satisfaction, effective outcomes and efficiency."