-- Drug Plans Emphasize Convenience, Coverage and Affordability for Seniors

-- Unique Partnerships Will Optimize Services and Value for Consumers

Ovations, the UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) business dedicated to serving the health and well-being of people age 50 and older, announced today that all of its contracts for the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program (Part D) have been approved by the federal government. Under this authority, UnitedHealth Group through Ovations will offer stand-alone prescription drug plans in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and all five U.S. Territories. Ovations also qualified to enroll lower income Medicare recipients and individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid in every region except Nevada.

"The Medicare prescription drug benefit represents an important opportunity to provide seniors with affordable access to prescription drugs," said Lois Quam, chief executive officer of Ovations. "Our mission is to bridge the gaps in American health care and offer seniors broad benefits and services tailored to their individual goals."

The stand-alone Part D offering is named the AARP MedicareRx Plan and carries the exclusive endorsement of AARP, the largest and most highly respected membership organization serving older Americans. In addition, a number of other affordable Part D plans will be offered by Ovations, including those with $0 premium for individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans.

Key features of the AARP MedicareRx Plan include:

-- A premium below the national average for such plans, with monthly premiums from $23.00 to $31.00 per month, depending upon the geographic region in which the individual resides.

-- No deductible. Consumers will have first-dollar coverage on prescription drugs.

-- Convenient access to prescription drugs guaranteed through the participation of more than 90 percent of the nation's retail pharmacies, including very strong national partners such as Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Brooks-Eckerd and Target.

-- The option for consumers to receive prescription medications through both retail stores and mail-order services, depending on what is most convenient, comfortable and appropriate to their personal situation.

-- A plan built on the foundation of providing the nation's leading prescription drug card program, serving more than 2.3 million seniors, and the largest supplemental Medicare offering, serving four million seniors. In 2004 alone, the prescription drug program delivered nearly $500 million in prescription drug savings to its members.

-- Services provided through an established and fully dedicated company with the necessary resources to successfully meet the needs of seniors. This includes a strong financial foundation and unique partnerships to help ensure an ongoing and stable program.

-- Walgreens Health Initiatives (WHI), a well-known, highly-respected and trusted company with extensive experience around individual customer services, will serve as the pharmacy benefit administrator for the program.

The AARP MedicareRx Plan allows Medicare recipients nationwide to select a Part D plan of the highest quality. Dawn Sweeney, President of AARP Services said, "AARP has a legacy of supporting and creating services that meet the needs of older Americans. For more than 40 years, our pharmacy programs have done just that - helping members realize savings on their prescription drug costs. This new program continues that tradition, and we are pleased to work with UnitedHealth Group to have the AARP MedicareRx Plan join our portfolio of health care solutions."

Medicare-eligible individuals can begin enrolling in the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program beginning November 15th. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will assign lower income Medicare recipients and Medicaid-eligible individuals into Part D plans and will notify them of their plan assignments beginning in November 2005.

About Ovations

UnitedHealth Group's Ovations business serves 5 million senior Americans and participates in the Medicare program on a national basis, as well as across the full spectrum of Medicare offerings, including pharmaceutical discount cards, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage plans, Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), private fee-for-service, Special Needs Plans for the chronically ill and frail elderly, and chronic care pilots.

About UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, Uniprise, Specialized Care Services and Ingenix. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 55 million individuals nationwide. The company's Medicare Prescription Drug Plans are underwritten by United HealthCare Insurance Company and its affiliates.