MORE COMPETITION COMES TO GEORGIA HEALTH INSURANCE MARKET

ATLANTA -- 1st Medical Network, LLC (1st MN), is announcing a partnership with Medical Mutual of Ohio, the largest and oldest Ohio-based health insurance company. This partnership will enable Consumers Life, Medical Mutual’s wholly owned Georgia subsidiary, to sell health insurance products throughout the state of Georgia.

Medical Mutual is acquiring majority ownership of 1st MN, a statewide provider network representing more than 15,000 phyicians and 150 hospitals that serves more than 200,000 members throughout the state of Georgia. The transaction will allow Consumers Life to do business throughout Georgia as 1st MN expands its product offering while continuing to provide access to quality healthcare services to large and small employers, as well as third-party administrators needing local, regional and statewide networks.

"This partnership is going to strengthen 1st Medical Network and enhance our ability in the marketplace," said Kenneth A. Tannenbaum, 1st MN president and CEO. "We are now going to offer new value-added products to our clients and the provider community by tapping in to the significant resources of Medical Mutual."

Tannenbaum added, "Like 1st MN, Medical Mutual has a long history of being respected in the provider community, which is another reason why this joint venture is a good fit."

"This is good news for Georgia businesses," said Michael Taddeo, vice president of Consumers Life. "As we expand statewide, we are going to bring a lot of competition with benefit designs that meet the needs of the local market. That has to help businesses with the ever-increasing cost of healthcare."

Since September 2005, Consumers Life has been selling health insurance in a 12-county region of northeast Georgia through Health Partners Community Advantage, a partnership with Health Partners, a preferred provider organization (PPO).

According to Tannenbaum, 1st MN’s more than 200,000 members can expect to receive the high level of customer service to which they’ve grown accustom.

"1st MN will continue to be a payer-neutral provider of hospital, physician and ancillary providers," Tannenbaum added.

1ST MN is the largest provider-sponsored PPO in the state of Georgia providing unparalleled access to quality healthcare services statewide and represents more than 15,000 physicians, 150 hospitals and academic medical centers and ancillary service providers throughout Georgia. 1st MN was formed in August 2002 by bringing together the PPO activities of Georgia 1st and Medical Resource Network (MRN.) For more information, visit the company's website at www.1stmn.com.

Consumers Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Medical Mutual, the oldest and largest health insurance company based in Ohio. The company is licensed to sell health insurance products in 28 states and the District of Columbia. Consumers Life serves its customers through high-quality, affordable group and personal health insurance plans, and third-party administrative services to self-insured businesses. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at ConsumersLife.com.