Affordable health care options available to small businesses and individuals

Lubbock, TX (Nov. 27, 2007) –Assurant Health (http://www.assuranthealth.com/), a Milwaukee, WI-based national provider of individual medical, small group and specialty health insurance products, and TeamChoice (http://www.team-choice.com/), a health care network based here, announced today the formation of a new health care network.

The new network, Platinum TeamChoice, will offer low cost health care for small businesses and individuals in Lubbock while providing access to an expanded list of renowned physicians and medical facilities in the Lubbock area.

Platinum TeamChoice will be available to small businesses on Jan. 1, 2008 and to individuals on Feb. 1, 2008.  Current Assurant Health policyholders can opt into the new network by calling their agent.

“Our partnership will cut the premium for insured individuals from 15 percent to 30 percent while at the same time giving them access to some of the very best health care providers in the Lubbock area,” said Thomas Coffey, Senior Sales representative for Texas at Assurant Health’s North Star Marketing.

Members of the new network will have access to the services of private family care and specialty physicians at
• University Medical Center (www.teamumc.org), the leader in comprehensive health care delivery in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico,
• UMC Physician Network Services (www.umchealthsystem.com), top quality primary care and specialists with clinics located throughout the region,
• Lubbock Heart Hospital (www.lubbockheart.com), which focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease,
• NorthStar Surgical Center (www.northstarsurgical.net), an out-patient surgical center,
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, (www.ttuhcs.edu), a teaching hospital, and
• Grace Clinic (www.graceclinics.com), a primary care and specialty health care facility.

“Platinum TeamChoice network is designed to be an excellent choice for consumers wanting quality health care services at significantly lower costs,” said Cheryl Clark, TeamChoice Executive Director.  “The new network partners two companies committed to providing comprehensive, top-quality care for small businesses and individuals while reducing costs and the time patients spend away from their families and the workplace.”

About Assurant Health
Assurant Health is a part of Assurant and has been in business since 1892. It is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by Time Insurance Company, John Alden Life Insurance Company and Union Security Insurance Company. Together, these three underwriting companies provide health insurance coverage for almost one million people nationwide. Each underwriting company is financially responsible for its own insurance products. Primary products include individual medical, small group, short-term and student health insurance products, consumer-choice products such as Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements, as well as non-insurance products. With almost 3,000 employees, Assurant Health is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., and has operations offices in Minnesota, Idaho and Florida, as well as sales offices across the country. The Assurant Health Web site is http://www.assuranthealth.com/.

About Platinum TeamChoice
Platinum TeamChoice is the area’s undisputed leader in quality and choice for health care services.  The network’s commitment to patient care and community development continues to grow.  The TeamChoice network is proud to offer the services of private family care and specialty physicians, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, UMC Physicians Network Services, University Medical Center, Lubbock Heart Hospital, Grace Clinic of Lubbock and NorthStar Surgical Center to the South Plains consumers, as well as access to more than 33,000 physicians and hospitals across Texas.