Health Net Expands Cross-Border Health Plan to San Diego County

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20091112005357/en

Pioneering Salud con Health Net Plan Now Provides Cross-Border Access to
Culturally Sensitive Health Care in Total of Five Southern California Counties
SAN DIEGO--(Business Wire)--
Health Net of California`s ground breaking health insurance program, Salud con
Health Net, which has been offering access to affordable, quality care to Latino
workers on both sides of the United States/Mexico border for nine years, today
announced its expansion into San Diego County.

For More Information
Salud con Health Net Plans

Health Net Online Newsroom

Health Net Plans for Individuals & Families

twitter.com/healthnet

Health Net`s Salud HMO y Más program is being offered to employers and employees
of small and mid-sized businesses between the Mexico border and Los Angeles
County and also is available in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

"San Diego is a vital border market with a unique makeup of employers, employees
and individuals who need and deserve access to quality health care services both
here and in Mexico," said Ana Andrade, vice president of Latino Programs for
Health Net of California. "We see our program as a gateway to improving their
health status."

"Since the 2000 introduction of our Salud con Health Net suite of products and
services," said Andrade, "membership has grown to more than 35,000 customers
drawn by the products` access to quality, culturally sensitive and culturally
competent health care from doctors, specialists and hospitals both here in the
United States or just across the Mexican border."

For business owners in particular, the Salud HMO y Más plan offers
cost-effective health benefits for their employees. Employers who have purchased
Salud HMO y Más plans have enjoyed cost savings of 25 percent or more, compared
to similar Health Net plans offered in the same local markets. The greatest
savings are realized when patients use a specialized network of culturally
competent and cost-effective health care providers in Southern California who
focus on caring for the needs of the Latino population. Additional savings are
realized due to the lower cost of contracted health care services available in
the Mexico cities of Tijuana, Mexicali, Tecate and Rosarito.

"Having a doctor who you can see on a regular basis is very important to
maintaining good health," said Monica Cepin, MD, a general practitioner and
pediatric physician for Multicultural Primary Care Medical Group. "By partnering
with Health Net, we want to provide patients who come to us through Salud HMO y
Más with high-quality medical care that will improve their overall quality of
life. We are excited about reaching more Latinos who may not have health
insurance through innovative programs like this one."

The growing need for a cross-border solution to the health care needs of many
Latinos working in California is evident. According to the June 2009 edition of
Medical Care, nearly one million Californians visited Mexico from June 2008 to
June 2009 for medical, prescription or dental services. Salud HMO y Más can
potentially reduce the number of uninsured and alleviate the number of patients
seeking care from emergency rooms because its members are able to pay for the
care they receive and have direct access to their own primary care physician.

Health Net`s contracted network of Mexico-based health care providers is made
available by Sistema Medicos Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. (SIMNSA), the only Mexican
health plan licensed and overseen by the California Department of Managed Health
Care, the same regulatory body that oversees HMOs doing business in California.

As with all plans offered by Health Net, Salud HMO y Más provides added value to
its members by offering a strong focus on health education, prevention and
wellness. It includes member access to Health Net`s Decision Powersm health
coaches, who are experienced clinicians available 24 hours a day, have
Spanish-speaking capabilities and empower our members to work closely with their
doctors to manage their medical conditions.

"Small- and mid-sized companies that dominate the San Diego business landscape
are an important focus for us," said Pedro Reyes of Barney and Barney, a major
San Diego-based insurance brokerage. "We are seeing more small-business owners
struggle with providing health insurance for their employees. Because Latinos
make up such a big slice of the local workforce, the Salud HMO y Más product now
offers my clients an affordable option to help keep their finances more stable
and their employees happier and healthier."

According to U.S. Census data, one out of every four San Diego residents is
Latino and the overall population of Latinos in the region has increased by 50
percent in the last decade. The county`s population is estimated at more than
907,000 Latinos, with the highest concentration residing in the National City
area. San Diego County also is the third-largest in California in the number of
Hispanic-owned businesses, and the fifth-largest in the United States. Coupled
with the number of employers based in Tijuana, this bi-national region ranks
third in the nation in the total number of Hispanic-owned firms.

About Health Net of California

Health Net of California, a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT), is one of
the largest health plans in the state. Together with Health Net Life Insurance
Company, it serves more than 2.2 million members statewide and contracts with
more than 56,000 physicians, 300-plus hospitals and nearly 5,000 pharmacies,
giving its members greater choice and more convenient access to care. Its
commercial HMO and POS, Medicare and Medicaid lines of business have received
the "Excellent" Accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality
Assurance. For more information about Health Net, visit its Web site at
http://www.healthnet.com/.

Health Net of California, Inc.
Brad Kieffer, 818-337-9541
brad.kieffer@healthnet.com
www.twitter.com/hn_bradkieffer
or
Milagro Communications Group
Christina Sanchez, 310-420-1135
ccamino@milagropr.com

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