Health Net Stockholders OK Merger With Centene

Transaction on track to close in early 2016

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) announced that during a special meeting of stockholders held today, its stockholders voted to approve the adoption of the previously announced merger agreement with Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC).

Of the 62,065,550 shares voting at the special meeting of stockholders, more than 97 percent voted in favor of the proposal, representing more than 78 percent of Health Net’s total outstanding shares of common stock as of the close of business on September 22, 2015, the record date for the special meeting.

Separately today, Centene announced that its stockholders voted to approve the issuance of Centene common stock to Health Net stockholders in connection with the pending merger transaction at a special meeting of Centene’s stockholders.

As previously announced on July 2, 2015, the combination of Centene and Health Net will create a leading diversified multi-national healthcare enterprise, extending Centene’s offerings in government programs, including Medicare Advantage and programs offered through contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as the commercial exchanges. Under the terms of the agreement, Centene will acquire all of the shares of Health Net in a cash and stock transaction. Health Net stockholders will receive 0.622 shares of Centene common stock and $28.25 in cash for each share of Health Net common stock. Upon completion of the transaction, Centene stockholders will own approximately 71 percent of the combined entity, with Health Net stockholders owning approximately 29 percent.

Centene and Health Net received early termination of the waiting period required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 on August 12, 2015. Centene and Health Net continue to expect that the transaction will close in early 2016, subject to approvals by relevant state insurance and health care regulators, and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

About Health Net

Health Net, Inc. is a publicly traded managed care organization that delivers managed health care services through health plans and government-sponsored managed care plans. Its mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. Health Net provides and administers health benefits to approximately 6.1 million individuals across the country through group, individual, Medicare (including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly referred to as “Part D”), Medicaid and dual eligible programs, as well as programs with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Health Net also offers behavioral health, substance abuse and employee assistance programs, and managed health care products related to prescription drugs.

For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit Health Net’s website at www.healthnet.com.

Cautionary Statements

The company and its representatives may from time to time make written and oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (“PSLRA”) of 1995, including statements in this and other press releases, in presentations, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), reports to stockholders and in meetings with investors and analysts. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical information provided herein, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements and as such are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by PSLRA. These statements are based on management’s analysis, judgment, belief and expectation only as of the date hereof, and are subject to changes in circumstances and a number of risks and uncertainties. Without limiting the foregoing, statements including the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “estimate,” “intend,” “feels,” “will,” “projects” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by the forward-looking information and statements due to a number of factors, variables or events. Certain of these factors relate to the company’s proposed business combination with Centene Corporation (“Centene”), including, among other things, the expected closing date of the transaction; the possibility that the expected synergies and value creation from the proposed merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; the risk that unexpected costs will be incurred; the possibility that the merger does not close, including, but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions; the risk that financing for the transaction may not be available on favorable terms; and certain other risks associated with the merger, as more fully discussed in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus that was filed with the SEC on September 21, 2015, in connection with the merger. Other factors include, among others, health care reform and other increased government participation in and taxation or regulation of health benefits and managed care operations, including but not limited to the implementation of, and subsequent modifications to, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “ACA”) as well as any related fees, assessments and taxes; the company’s ability to successfully participate in California’s Coordinated Care Initiative, which is subject to a number of risks inherent in untested health care initiatives and requires the company to adequately predict the costs of providing benefits to individuals that are generally among the most chronically ill within each of Medicare and Medi-Cal and implement delivery systems for benefits with which the company has limited operating experience; the company’s ability to successfully participate in the federal and state health insurance exchanges under the ACA, which involve uncertainties related to the mix and volume of business that could negatively impact the adequacy of the company’s premium rates and may not be sufficiently offset by the risk apportionment provisions of the ACA; increasing health care costs, including but not limited to costs associated with the introduction of new treatments or therapies; the company’s ability to reduce administrative expenses while maintaining targeted levels of service and operating performance; the recompetition of the company’s T-3 contract for the TRICARE North region; negative prior period claims reserve developments; rate cuts and other risks and uncertainties affecting the company’s Medicare or Medicaid businesses; trends in medical care ratios; membership declines or negative changes in the company’s health care product mix; unexpected utilization patterns or unexpectedly severe or widespread illnesses; failure to effectively oversee the company’s third-party vendors; noncompliance by the company or the company’s business associates with any privacy laws or any security breach involving the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized use or disclosure of confidential information; the timing of collections on amounts receivable from state and federal governments and agencies; litigation costs; regulatory issues with federal and state agencies including, but not limited to, the California Department of Managed Health Care and Department of Health Care Services, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state departments of insurance; operational issues; changes in political, economic or market conditions; investment portfolio impairment charges; volatility in the financial markets; and general business and market conditions. The factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this press release could cause the company or Centene’s plans with respect to the proposed merger, actual results, performance or achievements, industry results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed in the “Risk Factors” section included within the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and the other risks discussed in the company’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to address or publicly update any of its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

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Health Net, Inc.
Investor Contact:
Peter O’Neill, (818) 676-8692
[email protected]
or
Media Contact:
Brad Kieffer, (818) 676-6833
[email protected]

Source: Health Net, Inc.