Health Net of the Northeast Awarded "Excellent" NCQA Accreditation

Excellent Accreditation Status Reserved for Best Health Plans
SHELTON, Conn.--(Business Wire)--
Health Net of the Northeast, Inc., a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT),
today announced that the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has
awarded an accreditation status of "Excellent" for service and clinical quality
for Health Net of the Northeast`s commercial line of HMO and POS products in
Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. The accreditation is effective July 2,
2009, and follows the Company`s "Excellent" accreditation awarded in July 2006.

Paul Lambdin, president, Health Net of the Northeast, said, "We are very proud
to again receive NCQA`s highest status accreditation which underscores our
dedication to the delivery of quality health care."

The "Excellent" status, according to NCQA, is reserved for the nation`s best
health plans. It is awarded to those plans that meet or exceed NCQA`s rigorous
requirements for consumer protection and quality improvement and deliver
excellent clinical care.

"It is partly a health plan`s members that determine whether it earns NCQA`s
Excellent Accreditation status. Any plan that does so should be proud of its
accomplishment. It is a sign that the plan`s delivering great service and great
care - it`s met the toughest test in managed care," said Margaret E. O`Kane,
president, NCQA.

About NCQA

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care
quality. NCQA`s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is
the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA accredits
and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and recognizes
physicians in key clinical areas. 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.

About Health Net

Health Net of the Northeast, Inc. headquartered in Shelton, Conn., is one of the
largest health plans in the northeast, offering a full array of open-access
products and coordination for multi-region employers. Through its subsidiaries,
it offers full-service health plans that serve nearly 546,000 members in the
tri-state area and a physician network comprising more than 160,000 physician
and provider office locations, 5,440 pharmacies, and 244 hospitals throughout
Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Over 1,300 associates are
employed throughout the tri-state region. Health Net of the Northeast has
received an "Excellent" accreditation status from the National Committee for
Quality Assurance (NCQA) for both its HMO and POS commercial product lines in
Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Other products offered include Preferred
Provider Organization (PPO), Medicare and Medicaid plans. For more information
about Health Net, visit its award-winning Web site at www.healthnet.com.

for Health Net of the Northeast, Inc.
Alice Ferreira, 203-225-8836
alice.c.ferreira@healthnet.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009