ATLANTA, GA. (May 23, 2008)  – Leadership of UnitedHealthcare of Georgia, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, today voiced a strong commitment to state employees, teachers, retirees and their families to provide them with affordable access to quality health care and a broad range of tools to help them maintain and improve their health and well being. 

The commitment was made in response to a decision by the State of Georgia’s Department of Community Health to offer UnitedHealthcare in 2009 to members enrolled in the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP).

“We’re honored to continue our partnership with the Department of Community Health that began in 2002.  In that time we have delivered measurable clinical results and provided enrollees with access to cost effective, quality health care,,” said Rick Elliott, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Georgia.  “Looking forward, I am certain we will continue to meet and exceed the state’s expectations because we have the people, the industry leading resources, years of experience and a dedication to the SHBP.  More than 470,000 of those covered through SHBP already know that UnitedHealthcare can and does deliver the programs and services they need.“

Elliott pointed to UnitedHealthcare’s integrated clinical, pharmacy, disease management and wellness programs that have been customized to address the diverse medical needs of SHBP participants, as well as online tools such as treatment and pharmacy cost estimators, hospital comparison tools, and the UnitedHealthcare Premium Designation program, which helps consumers access in-network physicians who demonstrate a focus on quality and efficiency.

“Our intimate knowledge of the challenges faced by those participants will allow UnitedHealthcare to effectively improve their health outcomes.  We have the intensive disease management, wellness and pharmacy programs that make a real difference.”

UnitedHealthcare’s statewide health care provider network includes 14,500 physicians, 153 hospitals and 2,800 pharmacies. Additionally, the Georgia participants have access to UnitedHealthcare’s national network of more than 560,000 physicians and other care professionals and 4,800 hospitals.

“We believe strongly that through our partnership with the DCH and the more than 300 UnitedHealthcare employees dedicated to serving the needs of State Health Benefit Plan participants, we will continue making a positive difference in the lives of the valued employees, teachers and retirees.”
                                                                                    

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare (www.unitedhealthcare.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services. The company organizes access to quality, affordable health care services on behalf of more than 25 million individual consumers, contracting directly with more than 560,000 physicians and care professionals and 4,800 hospitals nationwide to offer them broad, convenient access to services nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.