unitedhealthcare

Contact: Gary Griffin
Phone: 860.676.2300 x131
gary.griffin@adamsknight.com

UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits Joins Effort to Increase Awareness for Disability Planning and Prevention

PORTLAND, Maine – May 5, 2010 – The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) announced that UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits has joined the CDA to help raise awareness about the importance of disability planning and prevention.

As a CDA member company, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits joins 15 leading disability insurance providers in a collective industry effort to educate the American work force about the risks of disability and how wage earners can protect themselves and their families should the unexpected occur.

“Consumers and employers often are unaware of the financial risks employees take when they fail to include disability insurance as part of their employee benefits elections,” said Gregory Poulakos, vice president of UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits. “As a CDA member company, we are committed to educating our customers about the importance of disability coverage and how it can promote financial health and well-being for individuals and their families.”

Barry Lundquist, president of the CDA, is pleased that UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits has committed to helping the CDA in its mission to inform and educate the American public.

“More companies are recognizing the importance of educating wage earners, employers and advisers about the risk and consequences of disability and the steps people can take to protect their financial health and way of life,” said Lundquist.

Poulakos will join other top disability insurance industry leaders on the CDA board of directors.

“The CDA is at the forefront of providing relevant and educational information to consumers, producers and employers,” said Poulakos. “It’s important for us as an industry to inform and engage consumers and their employers in the importance of protecting their financial futures.”

UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits will disseminate CDA messages and tools, and help position CDA as the leading resource for information relating to the need for proper disability planning, according to Poulakos.

CDA member companies include Assurant Employee Benefits, Berkshire Life, Guardian, The Hartford, Illinois Mutual, Lincoln Financial Group, MassMutual, MetLife, Mutual of Omaha, OneAmerica, Prudential, The Standard, Sun Life Financial, Union Central and Unum.

While disabling illness is a growing problem, many workers are unaware of their risk. The CDA offers tools on their website, disabilitycanhappen.org, to help employees assess their risk of disability and be prepared for the possible outcomes.

About the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA)
The Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) is a nonprofit group dedicated to helping the American workforce become aware of the growing likelihood of disability and its financial consequences. The CDA engages in communications, research and educational activities that provide information and helpful resources to wage earners, their families, employers and others who are concerned about disability and the impact it can have on wage earners and their families.

About UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits
UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits offers a broad array of specialty benefits, which includes vision, dental, life, short-term disability and long-term disability. It is a division within OptumHealth, the health and well-being business of UnitedHealth Group, Inc. (NYSE: UNH). More information about UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits can be found at www.uhcspecialtybenefits.com.