Guardian in Alliance with Destiny Health Launches New Dual Option with Preferred Provider Organization in Illinois

The Destiny Health Plan™ offered by Guardian announces today the offering of its new PPO option to Illinois employers. The PPO plan will be available on March 1, 2007, as an option alongside their Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) compliant options. This additional option helps ease the transition for employers moving their employees from a more traditional plan such as a PPO or a HMO to a HRA or HSA compliant plan.

The wellness program, Vitality, that differentiates The Destiny Health Plan from other consumer-directed health plans, will also be an integral part of the PPO option. The Vitality Program is crucial in engaging employees to control health care costs as it rewards members’ positive health decisions with Vitality Bucks™ which can be redeemed for airline miles, vacation packages, name brand merchandise and more.

“There is currently a knowledge gap regarding the benefits of consumer-directed health plan options,” said Arthur Carlos, President and CEO of Destiny Health. “Our new PPO option fills this gap by providing members with the comfort to select a traditional PPO option now. Ongoing reports show their suitability for a consumer-directed health plan based on their health care utilization. Additionally, Vitality provides further financial incentives for members to convert to a consumer-directed health plan that reduces their out-of-pocket costs.”

About Guardian in alliance with Destiny Health

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and Destiny Health joined forces in 2003 to offer affordable, comprehensive consumer-directed health care coverage to employers fighting the battle against ever-increasing health care costs. As one of the nation's largest mutual life insurance companies, Guardian is the employee benefits carrier of choice for more than 120,000 companies and 6 million individuals across the country.

Destiny Health brings more than ten years of international experience in the consumer-directed marketplace to the partnership. The Guardian and Destiny Health alliance creates a synergy that complements Destiny Health's proven record of innovation with Guardian's reputation and reach, resulting in the first significant, national consumer-directed health care option that offers cost control, high-quality care and real consumer choice. The Destiny Health Plan is underwritten and marketed by Guardian in Illinois, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Texas. The Destiny Health Plan is also available in Wisconsin through affiliated insurance brokers.