Taking Care^® books and newsletters give you the tools to meet your business challenges -- helping you stand out in the marketplace and reaffirm your reputation for quality. With Optum publications, you can:

• Direct members to appropriate levels of care
• Encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors through the communication of important health information
• Share important benefit news
• Communicate timely NCQA or HIPAA information
• Encourage utilization of other Optum services through customized cross-promotional messages

Superior Information -- Superior Value
Month after month, year after year, Taking Care consistently offers credible information to help individuals take charge of their health. See for yourself how Optum publications deliver significant value to your population:

Better health and appropriate use of medical services

• Forty-nine percent of Taking Care readers report that the books and newsletters increase their understanding of when to seek medical services.
• Fifty-nine percent report that the books and newsletters increase their confidence in managing their health.
• Seventy-one percent report that the books and newsletters increase their understanding of health information.

Stronger bonds through loyalty

• Sixty-five percent of Taking Care readers report that the books and newsletters improve their opinion of their employer.
• Sixty-eight percent agree that their employer should continue to provide Taking Care products.

Bottom-line financial value

• Thirty-two percent of Taking Care readers report that the books and newsletters saved them one emergency room visit over a 12-month time frame (14 percent for those who have the book only).
• Sixty-nine percent report that the books and newsletters saved them one doctor's office visit over a 12-month time frame (47 percent for those who have the book only).

The Best in Books and Newsletters
Optum's Taking Care publications educate and empower readers to take a more active role in their health. Click on a title below to learn about each publication in greater detail.

Taking Care: Self-Care for You and Your Family contains quick, accurate answers to everyday health questions. Whether you're single, raising a family or enjoying your retirement, you'll come to rely on this book's valuable tips, easy-to-follow decision charts and detailed guides.

Taking Care After 50: A Self-Care Guide for Seniors features self-care information on various health and well-being concerns of particular interest to older adults. Seniors can learn how to stay healthy and keep going strong with this appealing book designed specifically for people ages 50 and older.

Taking Care, our award-winning monthly newsletter, provides readers with the latest self-care and healthy lifestyle information. Interactive features such as contests and a physician question-and-answer column keep readers looking forward to the next issue.

Taking Care: Healthy Living After 50 offers the same high quality and appeal as the original Taking Care newsletter with articles geared specifically toward older adults.

Experience Meets Unsurpassed Quality
For more than 25 years, Taking Care publications have been dedicated to helping readers improve their health and well-being. Optum's experienced health writers and medical advisory board work hand in hand to publish useful information that makes a difference in people's lives.

And our quality has been widely recognized by peers in the fields of communication and design. In 2003, Taking Care received:

• The Communicator Award of Distinction -- an international competition that recognizes outstanding work in communications
• National Health Information Award -- honoring the best consumer health information programs and materials
• APEX Award for Publication Excellence -- based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence
• National Mature Media Award -- recognizing the best materials produced for those ages 50 and older

Publications for Success
A wide range of customization options can help support your brand identity:

• Add your company logo or private label to the publication to strengthen your brand identity and loyalty
• Promote the use of other health care services, including Optum's phone and Internet-based programs, to maximize your return on investment
• Include custom articles or inserts in the newsletter to communicate important information or focus on topics that drive medical costs

We Deliver
You can choose to have the books and newsletters individually home-mailed to your population -- or bulk-shipped to a single location. Either way, we manage the entire mailing process for you.

Count on Optum publications to help you gain the competitive edge that will differentiate you from the rest of the pack.