KINGSTON, N.Y. (March 6, 2008) – UnitedHealth Group’s Kingston location, which has long been one of the company’s key customer service and claims centers, has expanded its work force to enhance its clinical support operations with the addition of a disease management team.

Approximately 30 nurses joined the office to assist health plan members with managing their chronic diseases. The company also added 70 new call and claims positions in 2007, bringing the total number of area residents who work for the Kingston office to nearly 950.

Reflecting the national insurer’s continued strong presence in the region, new UnitedHealth Group signs have been installed on the building interior and exterior at 505 Boices Lane. Local community leaders, including officials from the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, gathered at an event with UnitedHealth Group executives today to reinforce the company’s ongoing commitment to the Kingston community.

UnitedHealth Group remains the largest private employer in Ulster County and serves more than 2.8 million members statewide.

“UnitedHealth Group is committed to the Kingston community and the state of New York as an employer, business partner and neighbor,” said Eileen Liverani, site director of the Kingston customer service and claims center, which serves members in New York and nationwide. “The addition of the disease-management team in Kingston broadens the level and diversity of career opportunities for Ulster County residents. Our nurses play a vital role in helping our members every day make important decisions about their health and well-being.”

Liverani said UnitedHealth Group offers competitive pay and benefits and works closely with the local community to fill its ongoing training classes with qualified and committed individuals. For instance, guidance counselors from throughout Ulster County spent a day in October at the facility learning about the job skills required, and a group of public-school teachers visited separately to take a tour of the site. The company also supports a number of local community efforts, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the American Heart Association.

Previously, Kingston had approximately 25 nurses on-site to help coordinate members’ care as needed when a specific treatment or procedure was scheduled. The additional 30 nurses now enable the disease management and clinical support teams to proactively reach out to members with chronic illnesses such as coronary artery disease and diabetes to help with daily care regimens and ongoing management of their illnesses.

The Kingston office’s core operations continue to be call center and claims processing. Last year, employees answered more than 2.6 million calls and processed nearly 22 million claims.

About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through seven operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, Uniprise, OptumHealth, Ingenix and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves approximately 70 million individuals nationwide.