UnitedHealthcare is offering "SignatureValue Alliance" in California, a new health benefits plan featuring high-performance care provider networks committed to delivering effective, evidence-based and cost-efficient care.

The SignatureValue Alliance plan enables employers and plan participants to save on their health care costs through lower premiums while still having access to a wide range of traditional and deductible HMO plans.

The Alliance network includes six large physician groups in Southern California and parts of Northern California that include 90 hospitals and about 26,000 physicians and specialists. Participating Alliance physician groups include: HealthCare Partners Medical Group, Heritage Provider Network, Monarch HealthCare Medical Group, PrimeCare Medical Group, Santé Community Physicians, and Scripps Health.

"UnitedHealthcare SignatureValue Alliance offers the quality and value employers are looking for when choosing their health coverage because it combines the affordability of an HMO with access to high-quality health care professionals," said David Anderson, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of Southern California. "Plan participants enjoy comprehensive health benefits coverage and access to a wide, local care provider network of quality doctors and hospitals."

The participating medical groups were included based on technological sophistication, clinical performance and quality measures, and an ability to deliver health care cost savings. High-performance networks, which include physicians rated both on quality and efficiency measures, are becoming increasingly popular as a way to improve outcomes and more effectively manage costs.

"UnitedHealthcare's SignatureValue Alliance provides California employers with a new health plan option that is helping provide high-quality, cost-effective care," said Alissa Viggianelli, vice president, Marrs Maddocks & Associates, a Carlsbad-based health benefits broker. "This type of high-performance care provider network is both innovative and an important step in helping California employers continue to offer quality health benefits to their employees."

About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 650,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals nationwide. UnitedHealthcare serves more than 38 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.

UnitedHealthcare
Will Shanley, 714-204-8005
will.shanley@uhc.com