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OptumHealth's Behavioral Health Care Advocate Center in Portland Receives Highest Possible NCQA Accreditation Rating

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn.-(Business Wire)-October 1, 2008 - OptumHealth Inc. announced today that its United Behavioral Health (UBH) Portland, Oregon Care Advocate Center (CAC) has been awarded three-year, Full Managed Behavioral Healthcare Organization (MBHO) accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), an independent, non-profit organization that assesses and reports on the quality of the nation’s managed care plans. The accreditation is based on a voluntary review of how a health plan ensures that its members receive high-quality care.

“This level of accreditation for UBH Portland signals that it’s an organization working hard to coordinate care, ensure access and provide good customer support for its members,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA president. “It’s a sign that OptumHealth is focused on improving the behavioral health of its members.”

NCQA reviews include rigorous on- and off-site evaluations conducted by a team of physicians and managed care experts. A national oversight committee of physicians and behavioral health providers analyzes the team’s findings and assigns an accreditation level based on the MBHO’s performance compared to NCQA standards. OptumHealth’s UBH Portland CAC received the highest possible rating awarded by NCQA.

OptumHealth’s UBH Portland CAC was evaluated for quality in seven categories, including: Quality Management and Improvement, Utilization Management, Credentialing and Recredentialing, Members’ Rights and Responsibilities, and Preventive Behavioral Health Care Services. The evaluation indicated that UBH Portland provided superior service in all categories.

“OptumHealth’s ongoing goal is to make health care more accessible, affordable and effective for people,” said Gregory A. Bayer, Ph.D., chief executive officer for OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions. “NCQA’s accreditation is one more indication that we are achieving that goal.”

Care Advocate Centers are staffed by Care Advocates — trained professionals who help members identify and maximize their health care benefits. UBH holds three-year, Full NCQA MBHO accreditation in its Chicago, Atlanta, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Houston, San Diego and Portland Care Advocate Centers.

“OptumHealth’s Care Advocates provide excellent customer service and do a great job of helping our members get the care they need to get and stay healthy,” said Jack A. Friedman, chief executive officer for Providence Health Plan.

OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions’ capabilities are designed to improve outcomes and lower overall medical costs for customers. These capabilities include:

Helping members with chronic medical conditions manage potential behavioral health issues that might impede medical treatment and clinical improvement
Reducing short-term mental health disability-claims costs by helping disabled members return to work quickly
Analyzing a customer’s pharmacy claims data to pinpoint opportunities to help him or her adhere to medical prescriptions
Improving outcomes through employee assistance programs; work-life resources such as financial, legal, eldercare and childcare services; and support from master’s degree-level specialists who work with people to help them achieve their wellness goals
Creating greater access to care through telephonic, online services and online self-directed interactive wellness programs

About OptumHealth

OptumHealth Inc. helps individuals navigate the health care system, finance their health care needs and achieve their health and well-being goals. The company’s personalized health advocacy and engagement programs tap a unique combination of capabilities that encompass care solutions, behavioral solutions, specialty benefits and financial services. Serving more than 60 million people, OptumHealth is the nation’s largest health and wellness company. It is a business unit of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). More information about OptumHealth can be found at www.optumhealth.com.

About NCQA

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes physicians in key clinical areas. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS^®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information through the Web, media and data licensing agreements in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices. For more information, visit http://www.ncqa.org/.

[HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).]

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