AMERIGROUP to Acquire New Jersey Medicaid Business, Sell Medicaid Business in South Carolina

The transactions are subject to separate approvals by regulatory authorities in the states ofNew Jersey andSouth Carolina.

"This transaction allows us to bolster our presence and improve services to members in one of our original states," said James G. Carlson, AMERIGROUP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The operations of ourNew Jersey health plan are solid. We believe we can effectively address the health needs of the additional members there and at the same time achieve operating efficiencies. We remain convinced thatSouth Carolina is committed to a viable managed care program, but the current environment does not offer us the opportunity to reach adequate scale in a timely manner. Nevertheless, we believe this arrangement is beneficial to everyone."

Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed. Each transaction will close upon the approval of regulators in the respective State, which is expected in the first quarter of 2009. The net effect of the transactions is expected to be slightly accretive in 2009.

AMERIGROUP's wholly-owned subsidiary inNew Jersey currently serves approximately 103,000 people enrolled in publicly-funded healthcare programs such as Medicaid.

About AMERIGROUP Corporation

AMERIGROUP Corporation, headquartered inVirginia Beach, Virginia, improves healthcare access and quality for the financially vulnerable, seniors and people with disabilities by developing innovative managed health services for the public sector. Through its subsidiaries, AMERIGROUP Corporation serves approximately 1.7 million people inFlorida,Georgia,Maryland,New Jersey,New Mexico,New York,Ohio,South Carolina,Tennessee,Texas and Virginia. For more information, visit www.amerigroupcorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release is intended to be disclosure through methods reasonably designed to provide broad, non-exclusionary distribution to the public in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's Fair Disclosure Regulation. This release contains certain "forward-looking" statements related to closing of the transactions described herein and the effect of the transaction on membership and expected 2009 earnings which are subject to numerous factors, many of which are outside of our control. These statements are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results in future periods to differ materially from those projected or contemplated in the forward-looking statements. There can also be no assurance that the transactions discussed in this release will close or that it will be accretive to 2009 earnings.

Investors should also refer to our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K filed with or furnished to the SEC, for a discussion of certain known risk factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our current estimates. Given these risks and uncertainties, we can give no assurances that any forward-looking statements will, in fact, transpire and, therefore, caution investors not to place undue reliance on them. We specifically disclaim any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    CONTACTS:
    Investors: Julie Loftus Trudell
    Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
    AMERIGROUP Corporation
    (757) 321-3597

    News Media:  Kent Jenkins Jr.
    Senior Vice President, External Communications
    AMERIGROUP Corporation
    (757) 769-7859

SOURCE AMERIGROUP Corporation

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Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

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