2008-12-03 01:54:02 -

www.optumhealth.com - OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York today announced that the New York Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) has approved a single source contract to administer the Empire Plan Mental Health and Substance Abuse Program awarded by the Department of Civil Service (DCS). The contract is effective Jan.

1, 2009, and covers more than one million Empire Plan enrollees.
UnitedHealthcare and OptumHealth will provide comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment solutions that include an extensive network of clinicians to provide easy access to high quality treatment, online resources and intensive case management for high-risk individuals.
"We are honored to be partnering with the State of New York in order to provide its employees and their families with high quality, accessible behavioral health services," said Dawn Owens, chief executive officer of OptumHealth.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare (www.unitedhealthcare.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to individuals, public sector employers and businesses of all sizes, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. The company organizes access to quality, affordable health care services on behalf of more than 26 million individual consumers, contracting directly with more than 570,000 physicians and care professionals and nearly 4,900 hospitals to offer them broad, convenient access to services nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.
About OptumHealth
OptumHealth 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 60 million people, OptumHealth is one of the nation"s largest health and wellness business and is a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) company. More information about OptumHealth can be found at www.optumhealth.com.


OptumHealth

Dale Kurschner

Sr. Director, Corporate Communications

(763) 797-2445

dale.kurschner@optumhealth.com