CYPRESS, Calif.- Seeking to help stop the nationwide spread of HIV and AIDS among African Americans, PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. (NYSE: PHS) is providing $19,000 to help support HIV education and National HIV Testing Day, June 27.

Of that, $9,000 will go to 18 churches to help offset the cost of providing prevention education and free HIV testing to their local communities.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced at its 2005 National HIV Prevention Conference that about 1.1 million people living in the United States are HIV-positive -- the highest number ever recorded in the country. The CDC also reported that nearly half of those cases are among African Americans. In addition, an estimated 25 percent of HIV-positive individuals are unaware of their status.

"The statistics reported by the CDC on HIV infection are simply staggering, and we felt that we must take action to reach out to our communities and help prevent the spread of this disease," said Corliss Hill, business manager, PacifiCare's African American Health Solutions. "We cannot ignore the fact that people of color, particularly African Americans, are among the hardest hit by HIV and AIDS.

"By providing support to our local churches, we believe we have the opportunity to make a positive impact at places of worship, which are often the cornerstone of the information dissemination in the African-American community," added Hill.

As part of its support of National HIV Testing Day, PacifiCare's African American Health Solutions also provided a sponsorship of $10,000 to the Statewide HIV/AIDS Church Outreach Advisory Board, which hosted a meeting of more than 100 African-American faith leaders from California on May 13 to discuss ways to effectively incorporate HIV/AIDS education and prevention messages into their ministries. Attendants were given a textbook called A Pastor's Guidebook for HIV/AIDS Ministry Through the Church to help them speak to their congregations on this topic. The board was formed through a partnership with California Department of Health Services, Office of AIDS.

"The funds that PacifiCare is providing to our churches will help us offset the cost of educating our communities about the importance of getting tested for HIV in an environment where people feel comfortable," said Bishop Henry M. Williamson Sr., presiding prelate, 9th District Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. "Our community is being devastated by this disease, and as religious leaders, we decided we must do more to protect our sons and daughters. We encourage everyone to take advantage of National HIV Testing Day to find out their HIV status. It is the most important thing people can do to protect their health and that of their loved ones."

National HIV Testing Day was founded by the National Association of People with AIDS in 1983 to encourage at-risk individuals to receive voluntary counseling and testing. Those who are interested in learning more about free and low-cost HIV testing in California can call 1-800-367-AIDS. To find out more about the Statewide HIV/AIDS Church Outreach Advisory Board, visit http://www.healingbeginshere.org .

About PacifiCare
PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation's largest consumer health organizations with nearly 3.2 million health plan members and approximately 11.3 million specialty plan members nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life insurance products. PacifiCare's African American Health Solutions is an educational and community-based health improvement program designed to help eliminate disparities in health care and improve the quality of life for African Americans. For more information about this initiative, call (714) 226-3819 or visit http://www.pacificare.com.

PacifiCare Health Systems Inc.

PacifiCare Health Systems Inc.

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