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Medica Names Tilford CEO

Medica's board of directors has promoted David Tilford, previously Medica's president, to president and chief executive officer (CEO).

The latest advance follows Tilford's unanimous election earlier this year to the board of directors of Medica Holding Company, the parent company of Medica Health Plans, Medica Health Plans of Wisconsin, Medica Self-Insured and Medica Insurance Company.

"I can't imagine anyone being more deserving considering what Medica has accomplished under David's leadership," said Medica chairman of the board John Buck. Those accomplishments include:

--  Record highs for numbers of customers and members, greatest financial
    strength, and largest premium reserves.
--  New records for the size of Medica's service area in Minnesota and
    adjoining states, and for the number of physicians, hospitals and clinics,
    and other care providers in its health care network.
--  Number-one customer service rankings and the highest 2003 Consumer
    Assessment of Health Plans (CAHPS) member satisfaction rating of any U.S.
    health plan for "Getting needed care."
--  Returning most of Medica's 2003 earnings, more than $80 million, to
    employers, individuals, state government and physicians, in what news
    reports called an unprecedented act by a Minnesota health plan.
--  Medica is one of three national finalists in the HealthLeaders search
    for the 2004 Top Health Plan Leadership Team.
    

Tilford has 25 years' experience with leading life insurance and health insurance organizations including Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance, Blue Cross of California, WellPoint Health Networks and Medica. He came to Medica in 2001 as senior vice president of market business segments, was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) in 2002, and to president in March 2003.

About Medica

Medica www.medica.com)"> is Minnesota's largest HMO, largest PPO and leading non-profit and independent provider of health plans. Medica has 1.25 million members and 24,000 providers in a regional health care network service area that includes 98 percent of Minnesotans and a growing number of adjoining counties in Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. Medica also offers national network coverage to employers who also have employees outside the Medica regional network.

Medica commercial and Medicaid HMO plans have the highest accreditation status, Excellent, from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA®). Medica's vision is to become the community's health plan of choice, trusted for its integrity, respected for its service, and admired for its commitment to innovation and efficiency.