Covantage Adds The Dial Corporation to its Growing Client List.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 2002

$1.7 Billion Consumer Products Company Selects Covantage to Provide

Benefits Administration Services to Its More Than 3,700 Employees

Covantage, a provider of benefits administration services to national employers and subsidiary of PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:PHSY), announced that it has added The Dial Corporation (NYSE:DL) to its growing list of national clients.

Covantage will provide benefits administration services for The Dial Corporation's employees including benefit eligibility, file transfers and customized consolidated billing services. In working with The Dial Corporation, Covantage will gather, maintain and transfer individual eligibility and enrollment data; develop, establish and maintain a system to track, transfer and route plan enrollment and eligibility information; and establish and maintain communication and data transfer protocols with Dial's benefit vendors.

The Dial Corporation, a $1.7 billion consumer products company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., employs more than 3,700 people and operates manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Latin America. Dial's brands include Dial(R) soaps, Purex(R) laundry detergent, Renuzit(R) air fresheners and Armour(R) Star canned meats.

"At Dial, we needed more than just a claims-processing company -- we needed a company with the expertise necessary to develop, implement and manage an effective and efficient benefits administration system," said Kevin Greeley, manager of health and welfare for The Dial Corporation. "We selected Covantage because of its solid technology and understanding of the health care industry, which we believe will provide better service for our benefit providers as well as our employees."

"Working with The Dial Corporation gives us a wonderful opportunity to deliver state-of-the-art benefit administration services to one of America's most recognized companies," said Barbara Lapwing, vice president and general manager of Covantage. "As a subsidiary of a health and consumer services company, combined with our ability to utilize the latest in administrative services technology, we can offer The Dial Corporation services that will help maximize efficiencies and cost-savings."

About Covantage

Founded in 1990 by PacifiCare Health Systems, Covantage (formerly HMO National Network) delivers state-of-the-art benefit administration services to national employers. Located in Austin, Texas, Covantage is an independent administrative services vendor managing approximately 350 carrier relationships nationwide. Core competencies include customized premium billing administration, eligibility database management and customer support. Currently, Covantage manages in excess of $276 million in annual premiums and administers benefit offerings on behalf of more than 300,000 members. For more information, please visit www.covantage.com or call 512/349-5500.

About The Dial Corporation

The Dial Corporation, headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., is one of America's leading manufacturers of consumer products, including Dial soaps, Purex laundry detergents, Renuzit air fresheners and Armour Star canned meats. Dial products have been in the American marketplace for more than 100 years. For more information about The Dial Corporation, visit the Company's Web site at www.dialcorp.com.