For Release: Immediate

HIP Is One of First Health Plans In The Nation To Provide Web Site Access in Spanish

New York, March 4th - HIP Health Plan of New York, acknowledged as a national industry leader in the application of health care information technology, today announced that its Web site, www.hipusa.com, is now available in Spanish as well as in English.

HIP is one of the first health plans in the nation to provide access to its Web site in Spanish and the first in the New York area to do so, according to the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP).

HIP members, physicians, employers, and brokers can now access HIP's Web site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in Spanish, privately and securely. HIP recently announced that its Web site has been awarded the TRUSTe seal, assuring members who log on that their privacy and personal information will be handled according to the highest standards of security and discretion.

"The availability of Spanish content at hipusa.com reflects HIP's continuing commitment to provide the best possible customer service to our diverse membership," said Anthony L. Watson, Chairman and CEO. "Harnessing the power and convenience of the Internet and making it available to a broad range of HIP members continues to be our guiding principle in the use of technology in the health care marketplace."

Following are among the functions that can be accessed in Spanish. (Non-members can access general information about HIP.)

Members
Members can now interact with the HIP Web site in a variety of ways, including:

• finding a physician in HIP's growing network;
• changing a primary care physician;
• filling a prescription through HIP's online pharmacy service;
• reviewing claims and downloading forms;
• learning about HIP's alternative medicine programs for acupuncture;
• examining HIP's dental program and participating dentists;
• updating an address;
• requesting a replacement for a misplaced ID card;
• reading about HIP health tips and links to similar sites, press releases, general information about HIP, including its annual report and financial statement, the HIP member newsletter; and,
• Members can contact HIP's Customer Service Department with secure, encrypted e-mail.

Providers
The new Web site will give physicians and other providers a number of important capabilities. These include verifying member eligibility, viewing the status of claim submissions, providing referrals, and, in the future, obtaining medical pre-authorizations.

Employers
Employers can access HIP's pharmacy services and find and update needed information, including addresses, telephone numbers, and eligibility data about employees.

Brokers
Brokers can obtain information kits that explain why HIP is a natural choice for a health care plan. Also available are group rates, provider directories, and a special broker hotline number.

Documents
Some documents available in English are still not available in Spanish. Members who want to obtain those documents can do so by contacting HIP's Spanish-speaking Customer Service Unit. The telephone number is provided at the Web site.

About HIP
With over 750,000 members, HIP Health Plan of New York is one of the largest health plans in the New York metropolitan area. In recognition of HIP's commitment to innovation and quality, HIP holds NCQA commendable accreditation and is ranked by InformationWeek's annual survey among the nation's top users of information technology. Known for over 50 years as the region's premier HMO, HIP today also offers a wide range of other products as well as an expanding provider network, now numbering over 15,000 physicians in over 26,000 service locations. This growing circle of health care options includes physicians in independent practice as well as physicians practicing at health centers. Outstanding medical groups, including groups associated with leading hospitals like Beth Israel Medical Center, Lenox Hill Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, operate the centers. For more information about HIP, please visit our Web site at www.hipusa.com.