2nd Annual Humana Starlight Award to Honor Des Moines Senior Citizen Volunteer.

Now Accepting Applications from Local Nonprofits with Outstanding Senior Citizen Volunteers

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Health benefits company Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is honoring a senior citizen volunteer in the Des Moines area through the area's second annual Humana Starlight Award. As a way of recognizing their community service, Humana will honor the volunteer with a one-time grant by donating $10,000 to the nonprofit organization of the recipient's choice.

Local nonprofit organizations are invited to nominate their most dedicated senior citizen volunteers for the Starlight Award by the application deadline of October 22, 2008. The Starlight Award is funded by Humana to honor a senior volunteer who gives time and talent to make a difference in his or her community. The award will be presented at a special recognition ceremony Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at the Sheraton West Des Moines, 1800 50th Street, in West Des Moines.

Humana, one of Iowa's leading providers of Medicare health plans and prescription drug plans, created the Starlight Award to honor an exceptional senior citizen volunteer, as well as to provide financial support for a nonprofit organization whose good work benefits the community.

The Humana Starlight Award began in Nebraska in 2006. In addition to continuing the award in Nebraska, the company will also present similar awards in Grand Rapids and Salt Lake City. Special consideration is given for senior volunteers helping other seniors like Des Moines resident Stanley Miller, the 2007 recipient of the Humana Starlight Award. In recognition of his service, Humana awarded a $10,000 grant last year to the Des Moines Art Center, the nonprofit organization where Miller began volunteering in 1999. At the Art Center, Miller founded the outreach lecturer program. Miller visits retirement homes as a guest lecturer, where he brings images from the Art Center directly to the senior citizens who may be unable to travel to the museum and see the exhibits in person. He also volunteers as a tour guide at the Art Center and is a volunteer instructor for acrylic painting and beginner drawing at the museum school.

Starlight Award nominees are evaluated on the dedication and leadership they have demonstrated, as well as the impact their volunteer efforts have had on others in the community. While the program is sponsored by Humana, a panel of local judges - comprised of community leaders, local executives, physicians and healthcare providers - evaluates the applications and chooses the award recipient.

"We had a great response last year from nonprofit organizations that rely on senior volunteers. This year, we hope to double the number of applications for the Humana Starlight Award," said Scott Hannon, director of Humana MarketPOINT in Iowa. "As our company continues to expand its Medicare presence in areas throughout Iowa, we've learned that senior volunteers gain as much as they give by staying active and engaged."

The application deadline for the Des Moines Starlight Award is October 22, 2008. Anyone who is 65 years of age or older and has served as a volunteer for a nonprofit organization in Dallas, Guthrie, Madison, Polk or Warren counties, is eligible for the Humana Starlight Award. To nominate a senior citizen volunteer, nonprofit organizations must be classified as a 501(c)(3) and serve the community in one of three areas:

* Mind: Organizations or institutions that seek to improve the educational landscape, resulting in higher levels of achievement

* Body: Organizations or human service agencies engaged in the promotion of healthy bodies and lifestyles

* Spirit: Civic & cultural development organizations that seek to inspire communities and enliven the human spirit

For more information about the Humana Starlight Award program, visit http://www.humana.com/about/company_information/starlight.asp, or contact the Humana office at 5107 Utica Ridge Road, Davenport, IA 52807 or call 563-388-7920 x 4205.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation's largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 11.5 million medical members, including more than 109,000 Iowa. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.

Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of:

* Annual reports to stockholders;

* Securities and Exchange Commission filings;

* Most recent investor conference presentations;

* Quarterly earnings news releases;

* Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls;

* Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors);

* Corporate Governance Information.