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BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Nov. 17, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CIGNA HealthCare today announced an agreement with Longs Drug Stores to co-brand its CIGNATURE Rx(SM) Medicare prescription drug plan and collaborate on in-store information and education. Under the arrangement,* Longs Drug Stores will provide access to CIGNATURE Rx for individuals eligible for Medicare Part D throughout the western United States. "We are pleased to be working with Longs Drugs to offer our simple, affordable Medicare prescription drug plans," said Terri Swanson, vice president of CIGNA Senior Care. "Teaming up with Longs will make it even easier and more convenient for people to learn about CIGNA's plans at a pharmacy they know and trust." Recently, CIGNA announced exclusive co-branding arrangements with Duane Reade Pharmacies, Kmart Pharmacies and Publix Pharmacies, and with Stop & Shop, Giant Food Stores, Martin's and TOPS, supermarkets that are all part of parent company Ahold USA. As part of the co-branding agreement, CIGNA and Longs will make educational information available to Longs customers, as well as provide details about CIGNA's plans and an easy-to-complete enrollment form. Customers who enroll in CIGNATURE Rx will be issued a co-branded prescription drug card bearing the name of the participating pharmacy and CIGNA. Prescriptions can be filled at any of the Longs pharmacies as well as any of CIGNA's 50,000 network participating pharmacies. "Longs Drugs will be an important partner in CIGNA's effort to educate individuals on their new prescription drug benefit and their CIGNATURE Rx plan options," Swanson said. In addition, Longs has established a call center staffed by a group of individuals specially trained to help Medicare-eligible beneficiaries navigate through the options available to them under Medicare Part D and answer their questions. Telephone consultations are available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday by dialing 1-800-568-2155. What is CIGNATURE Rx? CIGNATURE Rx, CIGNA's Medicare prescription drug plan, is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and is provided in alliance with NationsHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ:NHRXNASDAQ:NHRXUNASDAQ:NHRXW). The alliance combines CIGNA's leading pharmacy product capabilities with NationsHealth's experience in service and distribution to the Medicare population. NationsHealth will provide call center and enrollment support for CIGNA. Representatives are available to provide personalized service to callers for as long as they need to ask questions, review CIGNATURE Rx plan options and make enrollment decisions. CIGNA will offer a choice of three CIGNATURE Rx Medicare prescription drug plan options to suit individual needs. These will range from the lowest priced Value Plan to the no-deductible Plus Plan to the Complete Plan, which will provide an increased level of coverage for generic drugs to ensure there is no gap in coverage. All CIGNATURE Rx plans will feature flat co-pays so there are no surprises and people always know what they will pay at the drug store. Additionally, CIGNA's three-tier open formulary will include virtually all drugs typically prescribed by doctors. For more details about CIGNATURE Rx, go to the website, http://www.cigna.com/health/consumer/medical/cignaturerx, also accessible from http://www.cigna.com/. About CIGNA CIGNA will offer its Medicare Part D plans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in alliance with NationsHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ:NHRXNASDAQ:NHRXUNASDAQ:NHRXW). The alliance combines CIGNA's pharmacy product capabilities with NationsHealth's experience in service and distribution to the Medicare population. CIGNA HealthCare, headquartered in Bloomfield, CT, provides medical benefits plans, dental coverage, behavioral health coverage, pharmacy benefits, and products and services that integrate and analyze information to support consumerism and health advocacy. "CIGNA" and "CIGNA HealthCare" refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation (NYSE:CI). Products and services are provided by these operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation. About Longs Drug Stores Corporation Longs Drug Stores Corporation is one of the most recognized retail drug store chains on the West Coast and in Hawaii. Through its 476 stores located in California, Hawaii, Washington, Nevada, Colorado and Oregon, Longs Drug Stores serves the health and well-being needs of consumers through customer- oriented pharmacy services and convenient product offerings that include over- the-counter medications, photo and cosmetics. Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Longs also provides pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services through its RxAmerica subsidiary. Additional information about Longs Drug Stores Corporation and its Internet prescription services is available at http://www.longs.com/. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on Longs Drug Stores Corporation's current plans and expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to vary materially from those included in or contemplated by such statements. Risks and uncertainties and other factors are detailed from time to time in Longs Drug Store Corporation, media releases and annual, quarterly and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Risks and uncertainties include among other things, risks of changing market conditions in the overall and regional economy, changes in consumer preferences and perceptions, and changes in applicable law or in the interpretation of applicable law by regulatory agencies. Please refer to such filings for a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties. Longs Drug Stores Corporation undertakes no obligation to update any projections or other forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. * Longs does not have an exclusive relationship with CIGNA. DATASOURCE: CIGNA HealthCare Contact: Gloria Barone, CIGNA HealthCare, +1-215-761-4758, or Web site: http://www.cigna.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/165050.html

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