NCO Portfolio, MEDCLR in Agreement to Purchase $500 million in Medical Receivables

GLEN FALLS, NY, and BALTIMORE, MD – MEDCLR, A Marlin Company LLC, one of the leading providers of after collection solutions for hospital, medical services and emergency room physician companies in the country, and joint venture partner NCO Portfolio Management, Inc. (Nasdaq: NCPM), a leading purchaser and manager of delinquent accounts receivable, announced today that they signed an agreement with American Medical Response, Inc. (AMR), one of the nation’s largest providers of medical transportation, to buy, at a discount, the delinquent accounts receivable of AMR with a face value of $500 million. The transaction will consolidate AMR’s delinquent accounts receivable, which were previously handled by over 40 collection agencies, and will be serviced by NCO Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NCOG), a leading provider of accounts receivable management and collection services, and the parent company of NCO Portfolio Management, Inc.

“This deal is one of the largest single purchases of medical-related distressed debt in the industry. It demonstrates MEDCLR’s leadership in the industry and represents a now-proven method for medical companies to turn zero-valued assets into cash without any attendant concerns regarding complaints in a complaint sensitive area,” said Joel Lewis, President of Marlin Integrated Capital Holdings Corporation. “The trend of selling bad debt in the general consumer debt area proved successful and is now being applied to the medical universe.”

“Recovery of medical debt is very different from any other type of collection,” said Algis Penkiunas, Executive Vice President of Marketing at MEDCLR. “In order to be successful, it’s important to choose the right partner. Conventional wisdom may suggest price should be the dominant factor. While price is important, factoring in the experience and track record of a potential partner is key. AMR considered all of these factors when they decided to partner with us.”

“Transferring ownership of these accounts has provided enhanced benefits that were never previously realized by AMR,” said Randy Owen, Chief Financial Officer at AMR. “We chose the right purchasing partner. We are confident that the sold accounts will be handled by MEDCLR in a manner consistent with our expectations and requirements.”

“NCO Portfolio is pleased to partner with MEDCLR in providing AMR with a new option for managing their accounts receivable. We look forward to realizing the mutual benefits of this relationship, and believe NCO Group’s capacity and experience servicing large-scale medical receivables will serve us well,” commented Michael Meringolo, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions for NCO Portfolio.

About MEDCLR, A Marlin Company LLC.
MEDCLR, A Marlin Company LLC, is one of the leading providers of after collection solutions for hospitals, medical services and emergency room physician companies in the country. MEDCLR knows how to turn dormant bad debt into immediate cash. MEDCLR can be reached at 703-768-7020 or by visiting www.medclr.com.

About American Medical Response, Inc.
American Medical Response, Inc., one of the nation’s largest providers of medical transportation, operates in 34 states. More than 18,000 AMR paramedics, EMTs and other professionals transport over four million patients each year in emergency, critical and non-emergency situations. AMR, a wholly owned subsidiary of Laidlaw, Inc., is headquartered in Greenwood Village, CO. Visit AMR at www.amr-inc.com.

About NCO Portfolio Management, Inc. and NCO Group, Inc.
NCO Portfolio Management, Inc. is a leading purchaser and manager of delinquent accounts receivable headquartered in Baltimore, MD. NCO Group, Inc. is a leading provider of accounts receivable management and collection services headquarterd in Horsham, PA. Visit NCO Portfolio Management, Inc. and NCO Group, Inc. at www.ncogroup.com.