Accenture to Provide New Health Care Rating and Underwriting Solutions to Largest Not-for-Profit HMO

OAKLAND, Calif.; Aug. 10, 2004 – Accenture today announced an agreement with Kaiser Permanente to help transform their national pricing and underwriting operations. The initiative will redesign and automate Kaiser Permanente’s end-to-end quoting, rating and underwriting process.

Specifically, Accenture will provide consulting services and install its Rating and Underwriting Technology Suite, which is based on the software assets that Accenture recently acquired from Selectica, Inc. Work on this project is under way, and Kaiser Permanente will begin testing the new, Web-based rating and underwriting system in September 2004.

“As market pressures on health premiums intensify, health plans are focusing on improving financial control and enhancing collaboration between sales and underwriting throughout the pricing process," said Jess Parks, a partner in Accenture’s Health & Life Sciences practice. "Kaiser understands this imperative and has committed to transforming its pricing and underwriting capabilities."

"At Kaiser Permanente it is essential that we introduce new pricing and underwriting approaches in order to better respond to a dynamic market," said Mitch Goodstein, senior vice president for pricing and underwriting.

About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Committed to delivering innovation, Accenture collaborates with its clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. With deep industry and business process expertise, broad global resources and a proven track record, Accenture can mobilize the right people, skills, and technologies to help clients improve their performance. With approximately 95,000 people in 48 countries, the company generated net revenues of US$11.8 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2003. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

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