eHealthInsurance Supports U.S. Senators on Bipartisan "Reach" Act To Help Uninsured Americans.

Health & Medical Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--March 14, 2001

eHealthInsurance Finds Tax Credit Levels Would Help 77 Percent of

Eligible Individual and Family Members Nationwide to Receive Credits

for 75 to 100 Percent of Annual Health Insurance Premiums

In a letter to the Chairman of the Health, Employment, Labor and Pension Committee, Senator James Jeffords, eHealthInsurance, one of the nation's leading distributors of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, announced its support of the bipartisan "Reach" Act (Relief, Equity, Access and Coverage for Health.) Jeffords, and a bipartisan group of Senators, will introduce the Reach Act into Congress later this week.

This tax credit proposal is intended to help reduce the number of uninsured and make health insurance more affordable for millions of low and moderate-income Americans.

"Over 40 percent of those who purchased health insurance through eHealthInsurance.com were previously uninsured. Knowing there are 43 million more people like them in America has caused our company to become actively involved in seeking realistic, executable solutions to this serious problem of the uninsured, through both private and public sectors," said Vip Patel, chairman and founder of eHealthInsurance. "The Reach Act, introduced by Sens. Jeffords, Frist, Breaux, and Lincoln, will have a powerful influence on one of the largest barriers for the uninsured, which is affordability, and also provide an impetus to those without health insurance to seek information that will help them realize that they can afford it."

eHealthInsurance has found through an historical sample of the many thousands of customers who have applied for insurance through eHealthInsurance.com that the proposed tax credit amounts would be meaningful:

- 77 percent of individuals and families selected policies where the proposed
tax credits would cover 75 to 100 percent of their premium. More than half of
selected policies would be fully covered by the tax credit amount.

- 81 percent of families selected policies within 75 to 100 percent of the
proposed $2500 tax credit for families.

- 75 percent of individuals selected policies within 75 to 100 percent of the
proposed $1000 tax credit for individuals.

"From our experience in marketing and selling health insurance nationwide, the Reach Act is one step toward achieving a bold, but realistic, objective that eHealthInsurance has been suggesting to members of Congress, which is to reduce, by half, the number of uninsured Americans by 2010," said Patel. "The proposed tax credits represent one of many important steps in achieving this objective, alongside subsidies for the `hard to insure' or chronically ill and efforts to reduce the barriers that exist for small businesses, among others."

About eHealthInsurance.com

Founded in 1997, eHealthInsurance (www.eHealthInsurance.com) markets individual, family and small business health insurance, and was responsible for the nation's first Internet-based sale of a health insurance policy. The company has become the #1 destination for purchasing health insurance online by offering the broadest selection of health insurance companies and plans nationwide at the best available prices, and delivering unparalleled customer service through qualified customer service professionals.

eHealthInsurance is funded by Dell Computer, Goldman Sachs, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Lightspeed Venture Partners (formerly Weiss, Peck & Greer Venture Partners), QuestMark Partners, L.P. and The Sprout Group (Credit Suisse First Boston). The management team and board include former or current executives of Aetna, Arthur Andersen, Foundation Health, Healtheon, Hewlett Packard, IBM, MetLife, PacifiCare, Silicon Graphics, United Healthcare, Viewpoint Corporation (formerly MetaCreations) and other leading healthcare and technology companies.

eHealthInsurance.com is a registered trademark of eHealthInsurance Services, Inc.