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Health Net of California Strengthens Medicare Advantage Program Statewide With 2005 Enhancements

Posted on: Thursday, 28 October 2004, 15:00 CDT

Company Announces Decreased Premiums, Wider Access to Mental Health Professionals, Availability of Decision Power(SM) and Re-Entry to Eastern Alameda County

Health Net of California today announced it is strengthening its Seniority Plus 2005 Medicare Advantage plan for individuals by reducing or maintaining monthly premiums, expanding its mental health care network, introducing around-the-clock availability of Health Net's Decision Power(SM) and re-entering eastern Alameda County.

"We are committed to affordable health care coverage for California's seniors and disabled," said Philip Orr, regional vice president of Medicare Sales for Health Net of California. "Through one of the largest physician and hospital networks in California, these enhancements will help us provide our members with more comprehensive benefits than traditional Medicare."

Health Net is reducing monthly premiums in the following counties: San Francisco (from $59 to $40), Kern (from $30 to $0) and Santa Barbara (from $80 to $65). In San Diego County, where two Seniority Plus plans are available, the monthly premium of Plan 2 is decreasing from $70 to $60. In all other counties where Seniority Plus is offered, monthly premiums will remain the same as in 2004.

In 2005, Health Net will expand its mental health and substance abuse network through MHN, the behavioral health subsidiary of Health Net, Inc. MHN, with 11,000 practitioners in California, is a leading national provider of behavioral health programs, and it provides mental health and substance abuse benefits to Health Net of California's 1.4 million commercial HMO members. Currently, most Seniority Plus members receive such services through their provider groups. In most cases, members in care will remain with their current behavioral health provider.

Beginning January 1, 2005, Seniority Plus members can take advantage of Decision Power, a decision-support service exclusive to Health Net. Decision Power helps members more confidently participate in health care decision-making that is right for them. With Decision Power, members have access to Health Coaches - specially trained health care professionals such as nurses, dieticians and respiratory therapists - support videos, information resources and online tools. Health Net provides Decision Power to its members 24 hours a day, seven days a week at no additional cost.

Seniority Plus is re-entering eastern Alameda County, in and around the city of Livermore. The re-entry means Seniority Plus now covers Alameda County in its entirety.

In addition, Seniority Plus is reducing some deductibles and copayments in many of the counties it serves.

Health Net of California is an exclusive sponsor of the Medicare-approved Drug Discount Card program, and all Seniority Plus members have access to average discounts of 10 to 25 percent on prescription drug medications. In addition, qualified low-income Seniority Plus members have up to $1,200 to use toward their prescription drug costs.

Seniority Plus provides comprehensive Medicare Advantage benefits in 15 California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Yolo.

The Seniority Plus 2005 benefit changes, premiums and service area expansion are pending federal approval.

Health Net of California is a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT). Health Net, Inc. is among the nation's largest publicly traded managed health care companies. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. The company's HMO, POS, insured PPO and government contracts subsidiaries provide health benefits to approximately 5.2 million individuals in 30 states and the District of Columbia through group, individual Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE programs. Health Net's subsidiaries also offer managed health care products related to behavioral health and prescription drugs, and offer managed health care product coordination for multi-region employers and administrative services for medical groups and self-funded benefits programs.

For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit the company's Web site at www.healthnet.com.

Source: Business Wire

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