June 4 , 2008

Central Carolina Hospital Joins FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Provider Network

PINEHURST and SANFORD – Central Carolina Hospital and FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Inc. have signed an agreement to provide FirstCarolinaCare members and their covered dependents with in-network access to Central Carolina Hospital.

The new agreement became effective May 15, 2008.

“We are very pleased to enter into an agreement with Central Carolina Hospital,” says Ken Lewis, FirstCarolinaCare president. “The addition of Central Carolina Hospital to our provider network emphasizes our commitment to provide quality health care coverage to businesses and their employees in Lee County. We continue to focus our efforts on meeting the needs of small businesses and making health care coverage more affordable and accessible for employers in our local community.”

"Central Carolina Hospital is proud to offer health care services to members of the FirstCarolinaCare network,” says Doug Doris, Central Carolina Hospital CEO. “We support the businesses and employees in Lee County and are looking forward to serving their healthcare needs."

About FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company

FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstHealth of the Carolinas, is headquartered in Pinehurst, North Carolina, and serves more than 13,000 commercial members in a six-county service area. FirstCarolinaCare offers a range of small- and large-group health benefit plans. Covered groups in Lee County include Homes by Vanderbuilt and Patriot Performance Materials Inc.

FirstCarolinaCare was recently awarded a 2008 Power of Prevention Award from the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund. The award was given in the Innovator category, based on FirstCarolinaCare’s efforts to reduce the growth in the number of uninsured in its service area, as well as its programs to promote preventive health care and healthy lifestyles for members.

About Central Carolina Hospital

Central Carolina Hospital, part of Tenet North Carolina, is a 137-bed acute care hospital located at 1135 Carthage Street in Sanford, N.C. Central Carolina Hospital serves the medical and health care needs of Lee County and surrounding counties and offers a wide range of programs and services including emergency services, outpatient rehabilitation programs, diagnostic radiology, inpatient and outpatient surgery, and maternity services. Central Carolina Hospital also provides cardiology services including cardiac catheterization, echocardiography and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs. The hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. To learn more about Central Carolina Hospital, visit www.centralcarolinahosp.com.