UnitedHealth Group Adds Medicare-Approved Prescription Drug Discount Card To AARP Pharmacy...

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 2004

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) announced today that the prescription discount card program it provides on behalf of AARP Pharmacy Services has been expanded to include the new Medicare-approved

drug discount card. Beginning May 3rd, Medicare beneficiaries began signing up for the AARP Prescription Discount Card. The new card costs $19.95 per year and provide discounts on all prescription medications that are approved for the Medicare program. The drug discount card program is effective June 1, 2004.

AARP has made prescription and pharmacy services available to members for more than 40 years. The AARP Pharmacy Services program is managed by Ovations, through United HealthCare Insurance Company, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary. Ovations is UnitedHealth Group's business segment devoted to serving the health and well-being needs of persons over 50.

Tom Paul, Chief Pharmacy Officer for Ovations, said that the AARP Prescription Discount Card will provide assistance to all Medicare beneficiaries and, in particular, to individuals with lower incomes who face high drug costs. Paul said, "Currently, 2 million members use the AARP Pharmacy Services program, which has included a drug discount card since 1995. Last year alone, these members saved more than $400 million on their prescription drugs. The new Medicare-approved card allows us to take additional steps to ensure that older Americans receive assistance in purchasing the prescription medicines they need." A key part of the new Medicare-approved prescription drug discount card program is a transitional assistance credit of up to $600 each year for eligible low-income beneficiaries.

In addition to the Medicare-approved drug card, the AARP Pharmacy Services program will continue to offer its Prescription Savings Service and MemberRx Choice discount card programs. The Prescription Savings Service is offered at no cost to AARP Health Care Options participants. The MemberRx Choice program is available to all AARP members 50 and older. The AARP Pharmacy Services program includes access to one of the nation's largest retail pharmacy networks, the convenience of a mail-order pharmacy service managed by Express Scripts, Inc., a clinical safety check on all prescriptions filled, and savings on all prescription medications that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, including both brand-name and generic drugs.

"We bring to the federally endorsed card program our strong experience in managing drug card programs focused exclusively on older Americans and our strong commitment to serving AARP members," Paul said. "We are determined to do all that we can to continue making a positive, substantial impact on their prescription drug costs."

Consumers can telephone 1-800-592-3069 (TTY 1-866-507-9626) to learn more about the AARP Pharmacy Services program. They can also visit a Medicare Web site at www.medicare.gov, or call toll-free 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227 or TTY 877-486-2408).

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com) is a diversified Fortune 100 company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., that provides a broad spectrum of resources and services to help people achieve improved health and well-being through all stages of life. UnitedHealth Group offers products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, Uniprise, Specialized Care Services and Ingenix. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 50 million individuals nationwide.

About Ovations

Ovations is the largest U.S. business dedicated to serving the health and well-being needs of people age 50 and older. Ovations provides Medicare+Choice products, Medicare supplement insurance, hospital indemnity coverage and pharmacy services for members of the health insurance program of AARP. Through its Evercare business, Ovations offers individualized care services for elderly, vulnerable and chronically ill individuals. Ovations is part of the UnitedHealth Group family of companies.