UnitedHealth Group/PacifiCare Awards More Than $6.2 Million in Grants to Help Improve Health Care in California

CYPRESS, Calif. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As part of its ongoing commitment to California, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) and PacifiCare have awarded more than $6.2 million in grants to benefit health care consumers and improve the delivery of health care services in the Golden State. The grants, ranging from $96,000 to $2 million, have been awarded to 13 California nonprofits dedicated to improving health care services through enhanced health care technology opportunities, supporting clinical education and driving preventive-health initiatives.

The grants announced today are part of a four-year, $25 million commitment to California by UnitedHealth Group and PacifiCare. The grants and their identified uses are well-aligned with UnitedHealth Group/PacifiCare’s historic and ongoing commitment to improve the health care delivery system statewide.

“UnitedHealth Group and PacifiCare are committed to helping Californians lead healthier lives,” said Steve Nelson, CEO, Western Region of UnitedHealthcare. “We do this by offering products and services that improve access to quality health care, and also through grants to diverse community health organizations that will help improve the health care delivery system for everyone, including underserved populations.”

The grants announced today include:

• Alliance Medical Center of Healdsburg received a $384,573 grant to deploy e-prescribing services for health care providers at ambulatory practices throughout the rural Healdsburg region;
• California State University, Fullerton received a $2 million grant to support a project aimed at expanding health care access through nursing;
• Family Health Center of San Diego received a $96,000 grant for new technology, including robotic devices, that will help increase the multi-site clinic’s pharmacy throughput;
• Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles received a $258,913 grant to expand a specialized education and training program aimed at improving the process for discharging homeless patients by hospitals throughout Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties;
• LifeLong Medical Care of Berkeley received a $232,232 grant to install new pharmacy dispensing and e-prescribing software that will increase medication safety and enhance pharmacy services;
• Natividad Medical Foundation of Salinas received a $307,121 grant to improve the delivery of health care services for low-income, uninsured Latinos;
• On Lok Senior Health Services of San Francisco received a $250,000 to implement an electronic medical record system aimed at improving care for seniors;
• Project Concern International of San Diego, with the Mexican Consulate of San Diego, received a $100,000 grant to bring health information and referrals to thousands of consulate visitors in order to improve their access to preventive health care;
• Providence Speech and Hearing Center of Orange received a $307,121 grant to enhance technologies and implement systems to increase efficiencies for both clinicians and patients;
• St. Francis Medical Center Foundation of Lynwood received a $536,763 grant for a diabetes-intervention program that serves high-risk Latino populations in Southeast Los Angeles;
• St. Joseph Hospital Foundation of Orange received a $317,242 grant to fund further development of a chronic disease management program for Orange County Community Clinics;
• Vista Del Mar Child & Family Services, focused on serving the needs of children living on the streets of Los Angeles, received a $763,937 grant to purchase, install and implement an electronic health record system;
• WIND Youth Services of Sacramento received a $400,000 grant to create a personalized health information system to improve health care access and outcomes for homeless youths in Sacramento County.

UnitedHealth Group offers health benefits, including commercial and Medicare health plans, to nearly 2.8 million Californians and partners with about 50,000 physicians across the state.

About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations, AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 70 million individuals nationwide.