Health Net Customers Now Connect to Service and Information from 135-Plus Countries, Providing Greater Peace of Mind While Away from Home

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health Net, Inc. customers traveling throughout the world now have telephone access from more than 135 countries to service representatives providing answers to questions and guidance about health insurance coverage, the company announced today.

“Customers traveling abroad frequently require medical attention,” said Kathleen Richard, Health Net’s customer experience officer. “They need quick and accurate information on how their particular insurance plan covers the cost of care provided in other countries. When people are away from home, they appreciate the comfort of a live voice.”

Health Net’s program uses AT&T’s USA Direct^® Service, which provides toll-free, country-specific access numbers from more than 135 nations, connecting callers to a special Health Net number dedicated to serving commercial and Medicare members traveling internationally. If the access numbers or step-by-step dialing instructions are misplaced, they are easily retrievable from http://www.att.com/traveler. A link to this site also is posted at http://www.healthnet.com/.

Educating Customers About Accessing Care Away From Home

To better educate members about using their benefits while away from home, Health Net’s California subsidiary, Health Net of California, has developed a helpful travel guide. It contains reminders about packing a Health Net ID card and essential medications, reviewing coverage guidelines before leaving, what to do in the event of a medical situation while traveling, and how to contact Health Net for information and service. The guide also contains medical and pharmacy claim forms, as well as instructions on how to complete them, if care is obtained while traveling.

California Customers Have Greater Access to PPO Doctors and Hospitals in the U.S.

In another enhancement benefiting travelers, Health Net of California has bolstered its preferred provider organization (PPO) network to give PPO customers greater access to doctors and hospitals while traveling within the United States.

By partnering with First Health, a national PPO network of more than 490,000 doctors and 4,700 hospitals, Health Net of California PPO customers traveling for business or pleasure, or studying at out-of-area schools, pay the same out-of-pocket costs for in-network care as for local in-network care.

“Whether at home or away, our PPO members using our First Health network can take comfort in knowing that the same coverage guidelines apply,” said Mark Morgan, commercial officer for Health Net of California.

For information about Health Net’s travel enhancements, or to order a travel guide (available June 1), customers may call Health Net at the number listed on their Health Net identification card.

About Health Net, Inc.

Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is among the nation's largest publicly traded managed health care companies. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. The company's health plans and government contracts subsidiaries provide health benefits to approximately 6.8 million individuals across the country through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE and Veterans Affairs programs. Health Net's behavioral health subsidiary, MHN, provides mental health benefits to approximately 6.9 million individuals in all 50 states. The company's subsidiaries also offer managed health care products related to prescription drugs, and offer managed health care product coordination for multi-region employers and administrative services for medical groups and self-funded benefits programs.

For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit the company's Web site at www.healthnet.com.

Cautionary Statements

Health Net, Inc. and its representatives may from time to time make written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in news releases, in Health Net's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in the company's reports to shareholders and in meetings with investors and analysts, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical information provided herein, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's analysis, judgment, belief and expectation only as of the date hereof, and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Without limiting the foregoing, the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "may," "should," "could," "estimate," "intend" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially due to, among other things, rising health care costs, negative prior period claims reserve developments, trends in medical care ratios, unexpected utilization patterns or unexpectedly severe or widespread illnesses, membership declines, rate cuts affecting our Medicare or Medicaid business, issues relating to provider contracts, litigation costs, regulatory issues, operational issues, health care reform and general business conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed in the "Risk Factors" section included within the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.