Company Website: http://www.healthnet.com
LOS ANGELES -- (Business Wire)

Subsidiaries of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) today announced a new agreement that gives many Health Net members additional access to medical care in the Tucson area at Oro Valley Hospital, Northwest Medical Center, Northwest Allied Physicians, Desert Cardiology of Tucson and Heart Center of Southern Arizona.

“We’re pleased Health Net has reached an agreement that provides our Tucson-area customers with additional access to quality health care while preserving affordable benefits,” said Rose Megian, president of Health Net of Arizona.

The agreement, which took effect November 1, 2015, reinstates coverage at Oro Valley Hospital and Northwest Medical Center and their affiliated Tucson-area facilities for Health Net of Arizona and Health Net Life Insurance Company members with employer-sponsored coverage and many members with individual policies through Arizona’s federally facilitated health insurance exchange. Since September 2014, these Health Net members have not been covered for services provided by these providers. The agreement does not affect Health Net Medicare and CommunityCare members, who continue having access to these Tucson-area providers.

“Providing quality care to Health Net patients is important to us,” said Northwest Medical Center CEO Kevin Stockton. “Northwest Healthcare is happy to once again be part of the Health Net network.”

Health Net will contact Tucson-area physicians and brokers to notify them of the new agreement. Health Net commercial members with questions may call Health Net’s Customer Service department at 1-800-522-0088. Employers, brokers and consultants with questions should contact their Health Net representative.

About Health Net

Health Net, Inc. is a publicly traded managed care organization that delivers managed health care services through health plans and government-sponsored managed care plans. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. Health Net provides and administers health benefits to approximately 6.1 million individuals across the country through group, individual, Medicare (including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly referred to as “Part D”), Medicaid and dual eligible programs, as well as programs with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Health Net also offers behavioral health, substance abuse and employee assistance programs, and managed health care products related to prescription drugs.

For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit Health Net’s website at www.healthnet.com.

About Northwest Healthcare

Northwest Healthcare is an integrated healthcare provider committed to delivering Tucson and surrounding communities with high quality, accessible healthcare. Northwest Healthcare includes Northwest Medical Center, Oro Valley Hospital, six Northwest Urgent Care locations, The Women’s Center at Northwest, Northwest Allied Physicians, Desert Cardiology and The Heart Center of Southern Arizona. Learn more online at HealthierTucson.com.

Cautionary Statements

Health Net, Inc. (the “company”) and its representatives may from time to time make written and oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (“PSLRA”) of 1995, including statements in this and other press releases, in presentations, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), reports to stockholders and in meetings with investors and analysts. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical information provided herein, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements and as such are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by PSLRA. These statements are based on management’s analysis, judgment, belief and expectation only as of the date hereof, and are subject to changes in circumstances and a number of risks and uncertainties. Without limiting the foregoing, statements including the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “estimate,” “intend,” “feels,” “will,” “projects” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by the forward-looking information and statements due to a number of factors, variables or events. Certain of these factors relate to the company’s proposed business combination with Centene Corporation (“Centene”), including, among other things, the expected closing date of the transaction; the possibility that the expected synergies and value creation from the proposed merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period, including as a result of conditions, terms, obligations or restrictions imposed by regulators in connection with their approval of or consent to the merger; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; the risk that unexpected costs will be incurred; the possibility that the merger does not close, including, but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions; the risk that financing for the transaction may not be available on favorable terms; and certain other risks associated with the merger, as more fully discussed in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus that was filed with the SEC on September 21, 2015, in connection with the merger. Other factors include, among others, health care reform and other increased government participation in and taxation or regulation of health benefits and managed care operations, including but not limited to the implementation of, and subsequent modifications to, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “ACA”) as well as any related fees, assessments and taxes; the company’s ability to successfully participate in California’s Coordinated Care Initiative, which is subject to a number of risks inherent in untested health care initiatives and requires the company to adequately predict the costs of providing benefits to individuals that are generally among the most chronically ill within each of Medicare and Medi-Cal and implement delivery systems for benefits with which the company has limited operating experience; the company’s ability to successfully participate in the federal and state health insurance exchanges under the ACA, which involve uncertainties related to the mix and volume of business that could negatively impact the adequacy of the company’s premium rates and may not be sufficiently offset by the risk apportionment provisions of the ACA; increasing health care costs, including but not limited to costs associated with the introduction of new treatments or therapies; the company’s ability to reduce administrative expenses while maintaining targeted levels of service and operating performance; the recompetition of the company’s T-3 contract for the TRICARE North region; negative prior period claims reserve developments; rate cuts and other risks and uncertainties affecting the company’s Medicare or Medicaid businesses; trends in medical care ratios; membership declines or negative changes in the company’s health care product mix; unexpected utilization patterns or unexpectedly severe or widespread illnesses; failure to effectively oversee the company’s third-party vendors; noncompliance by the company or the company’s business associates with any privacy laws or any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information; the timing of collections on amounts receivable from state and federal governments and agencies; litigation costs; regulatory issues with federal and state agencies including, but not limited to, the California Department of Managed Health Care and Department of Health Care Services, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state departments of insurance; operational issues; changes in political, economic or market conditions; investment portfolio impairment charges; volatility in the financial markets; and general business and market conditions. The factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this press release could cause the company or Centene’s plans with respect to the proposed merger, actual results, performance or achievements, industry results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and the other risks discussed in the company’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to address or publicly update any of its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

This release contains references and links to other websites that may contain content that is not owned or controlled by Health Net. Please be aware that references or links to other websites are provided for the user’s convenience and that Health Net is not responsible for any such content that is not owned or controlled by Health Net.Health Net does not express an opinion on any such content and disclaims any liability in connection therewith.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151119005255/en/

Contacts:

Health Net, Inc.
Investor Contact:
Peter O’Neill
(818) 676-8692
peter.oneill@healthnet.com
or
Media Contact:
Brad Kieffer
(818) 676-6833
brad.kieffer@healthnet.com
www.twitter.com/hn_bradkieffer

Source: Health Net, Inc.