BENU Washington Adds Washington Dental Service Plans to Exclusive Benefits Center Offerings; New Dental Benefits Offering Expands Choice for Mid-Market Employers.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 2003

BENU, Inc., and Washington Dental Service today announced that BENU will begin offering Washington Dental Service to its exclusive benefits menu of insurance products and services, effective June 1 in that state. Washington Dental Service (WDS), a member of the nationwide Delta Dental Plans Association, is the state's largest provider of dental benefits. It offers subscribers access to innovative coverage and the state's largest network of dentists.

Washington Dental Service's addition to the BENU line-up means BENU has more than 10 traditional health plans and ancillary insurance products to choose from for mid-market employers (100 to 1,000 employees) in Washington State. All are accessible through the company's unique and convenient online benefit center, BENU Washington.

"We are delighted to add Washington Dental Service as the latest offering to BENU Washington," said Jeff Closs, president and CEO of BENU, Inc. "Our business model is predicated on offering the 'ABCs' of benefits -- affordability, benefit automation and choice. Adding Washington Dental Service to our existing line-up of quality carriers meets our criteria and that of our customers and their employees. It's another good reason for employers to come to BENU when shopping for insurance benefits and coverage at very competitive prices."

"Mid-sized employers and their employees have been searching for true innovation in benefits management," said James Dwyer, president and CEO of Washington Dental Service. "BENU delivers on that need. Washington Dental Service has continually led the dental benefits industry with innovative coverage and plan designs so we look forward to a strong partnership with BENU."

Washington Dental Service will offer its two most popular dental benefits products, DeltaPremier -- a fee-for-service product with unique cost controls -- and DeltaPreferred Option -- a preferred provider organization (PPO) product. With these products, employers will offer their employees access to the largest dentist network in the state through the Washington Dental Service brand which is known for affordable, stable rates.

"Choice of products, prices and service in a centralized and convenient location are what employers and consumers will come to expect with BENU year after year," added BENU's Closs. "They continue to be the way we can help Washington's mid-market employers and their employees find solutions to today's insurance and benefits challenges."

About BENU:

BENU, Inc., headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., is a partnership between Group Health Options, Inc. and CIGNA Washington (NYSE:CIGNA). BENU is a pioneering benefits solutions company which offers an expanded choice of insurance products and services as well as more control over health care expenditures for the mid-sized employer marketplace (with 100-1,000 employees). BENU Washington conveniently packages the products of leading insurance carriers to create unprecedented benefits choices in a defined contribution environment. BENU is able to deliver this choice affordably because of its proprietary risk adjustment mechanism and benefit automation technologies.

About Washington Dental Service:

Washington Dental Service, founding member of the nationwide Delta Dental Plans Association, was formed by a group of dentists in 1954 in order to administer the nation's first dental benefits program. Today, Washington Dental Service, a not-for-profit health care services contractor, is the leading dental benefits company in the state of Washington, delivering high-quality, affordable dental care to more than 1.9 million people nationwide through employer-sponsored programs.