CONTACT:       Maria Gordon Shydlo/Debora Spano
                        UnitedHealthcare
                        (203) 459-7674/(401) 732-7374

                       Dean Bender, Thompson & Bender
                        Pinnacle Healthcare, Inc.
                        (914) 762-1600

                      
UNITEDHEALTHCARE ENTERS INTO
NEW AGREEMENT WITH PINNACLE HEALTHCARE

TRUMBULL, CONN (October 25, 2004) – UnitedHealthcare, Inc. announced today that it reached a new agreement with Pinnacle Healthcare, Inc., effectively immediately, enabling UnitedHealthcare’s customers to receive uninterrupted access to healthcare services at the following five Westchester County, N.Y., hospitals – Hudson Valley Hospital Center, Mount Vernon Hospital Center, Sound Shore Medical Center, St. John’s Riverside Hospital (Andrus Pavilion), St. John’s Riverside Hospital (ParkCare Pavilion) and Westchester Medical Center.  In addition, physicians with admitting privileges at these facilities will continue to provide services on an in-network basis.

"We are committed to working closely with hospitals to ensure that our customers have access to comprehensive, quality health services, while balancing the need to keep healthcare affordable," said Chuck Berg, who heads UnitedHealthcare's Tri-State operations.  "Through our collaborative effort, our members can continue to receive care from these Westchester hospitals."

“We all worked very hard to avoid disruptions to our patients and their families,” said John Spicer, president and chief executive officer at Sound Shore Health System.  “We believe the agreement with UnitedHealthcare is fair and equitable and will allow us to continue to provide our patients with the highest level of care available in the region.” 

Formed in 1997, Pinnacle Healthcare, Inc., is a five-hospital network located in Westchester County, NY, the largest hospital network in the tri-state region north of New York City.  Pinnacle Healthcare offers a comprehensive spectrum of services ranging from wellness programs to organ transplants.

UnitedHealthcare is an operating entity of UnitedHealth Group, a diversified Fortune 100 company that provides a broad spectrum of resources and services to help people achieve improved health and well-being through all stages of life. In addition to UnitedHealthcare, UnitedHealth Group offers products and services through five other operating businesses: Ovations, AmeriChoice, Uniprise, Specialized Care Services and Ingenix. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com) serves more than 55 million individuals nationwide.

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