<Date>

<Member First Name> <Member Last Name>

<Address 1>

<Address 2>

<City> <State>, <Zip>

Dear<Member First Name> <Member Last Name>,

Our goal is to provide you with easy access to a quality network of reference laboratories. We regularly evaluate our network relationships to ensure you continue to receive the best combination of quality, convenience and affordability.

We are writing to inform you of a change in our laboratory network, and to inform you that our data suggest you have been using (or your physician sent your specimens to) a laboratory that either does not or will not participate in our network. We want you to know that using a non-participating laboratory, including Quest Diagnostics, could increase your health care costs, as described in your benefit plan.

Examples of the average unit costs for some of the most common lab tests:

Lab Test Description / Average Unit Cost –
Non-Participating Lab / Average Unit Cost – Participating Lab
Cholesterol / $36.69 / $11.23
Strep Throat / $30.24 / $7.84
CBC / $18.68 / $6.54
Hemoglobin A1C (Diabetes) / $27.98 / $8.50
Pap Smear / $47.39 / $19.14
Bacterial Culture / $23.04 / $6.90
PSA / $49.22 / $15.57

As a notification

  • Effective May 15, 2008,LabOneno longer participates in our laboratory network.
  • Quest Diagnostics has been a non-participating laboratoryprovider since January 1, 2007.
  • If you receive laboratory services from a non-participatinglab, including Quest Diagnostics or LabOne, you may be charged higher out-of-network costs as described in your benefit plan.

What this means to you

  • You should use one of the many participating laboratories or patient service centers in our laboratory network. You can access a current list of participating laboratories and patient service centers online at .If you are unsure where your lab specimen is sent for testing, please ask at your physician’s office.
  • If your benefit plan has out-of-network benefits, services provided by a non-participatinglaboratory may be paid at the out-of-network benefit level.To ensure your benefits are covered at the highest level possible, you should receive services from laboratories participating in our network.
  • If you do not have out-of-network benefits, you may have no coverage for services provided by non-participatinglaboratories. Please refer to your Certificate of Coverage or Summary Plan Description for more detailed information about your specific benefit plan design.
  • Non-participating laboratories may be up to seven times more expensive than network laboratories.
  • Use of higher cost, non-participating laboratories can decrease the amount of benefit available in your lifetime maximum benefit.

Our goal is to provide you with convenient, affordable access to quality laboratories. If you have questions about our laboratory network, please call Customer Service at the number on your Oxfordmember ID card.

Sincerely,

Oxford

Insurance coverage provided by or through: United HealthCare Insurance Company, United HealthCare Insurance Company of New York, or their affiliates. Administrative services to self-funded plans provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc., United HealthCare Insurance Company, United HealthCare Service LLC or their affiliates. Health Plan coverage provided by or through: United HealthCare of Alabama, Inc., United HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., United HealthCare of Arkansas, Inc., United HealthCare of Colorado, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Florida, Inc., United HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Illinois, Inc., United HealthCare of Kentucky, Ltd., United HealthCare of Louisiana, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc., MD-Individual Practice Association, Inc (M.D. IPA), Optimum Choice, Inc., United HealthCare of Midlands, Inc., United HealthCare of the Midwest, Inc., United HealthCare of Mississippi, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New England, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New Jersey, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New York, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of North Carolina, Inc., United HealthCare of Ohio, Inc., United HealthCare of Tennessee, Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Texas, Inc., United HealthCare of Utah, UnitedHealthcare of Wisconsin, Inc., UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley.

MS-08-226