USC's Swim With Mike Names PacifiCare Its Official Healthcare Partner

USC's Swim With Mike Names PacifiCare Its Official Healthcare
Partner
- $10,000 Donation to Help Provide Tuition and Financial Assistance to
Physically Challenged Student Athletes -



LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The University of Southern
California's (USC) Swim With Mike announced that Cypress, Calif.-based
PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. has been named the Official Healthcare Partner
for the annual swim-a-thon fund-raiser.

Benefiting the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund, Swim With Mike
(http://www.swimwithmike.org/) will take place Saturday, April 16, 2005, from 8
a.m. to 4 p.m. at USC McDonald's Swim Stadium.

In addition, PacifiCare donated $10,000 in support of Swim With Mike's efforts
to provide tuition and financial assistance toward housing and books to
physically challenged student athletes.  In order to qualify for a scholarship,
applicants must have suffered an illness or injury that resulted in a physical
disability that substantially limits major life activity; have participated in
organized high school or college athletics prior to the illness or injury; meet
admissions requirements of the selected university, and maintain a 2.5 GPA
while enrolled.

The Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund boasts an impressive
recipient and alumni list, ranging in age from 18 to 38, pursuing careers from
cinematography to business, medicine and law.  Athletes have represented 16
different sports on levels ranging from high school junior varsity to NCAA
Division 1.

"PacifiCare is proud to be named Swim With Mike's Official Healthcare Partner
for its 25th anniversary," said James Frey, president of PacifiCare of
California.  "We congratulate this year's scholarship winners for overcoming
life's challenges and pursuing their dreams.  We believe the commitment
embodied by the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund shares
PacifiCare's belief that 'Caring is Good. Doing Something is Better.'"

Celebrating its 25th year, Swim With Mike has raised $5 million for 45
Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarships for students who have overcome
life-challenging accidents or illnesses.  The fund is the only one of its kind
allowing students to pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees at USC and,
beginning two years ago, other college campuses.

Swim With Mike began as a fund-raiser, "Swim For Mike," to purchase a specially
equipped van for three-time All-American USC swimmer, Mike Nyeholt, who became
paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 1981.  At Nyeholt's suggestion, the
excess monies raised that year were used to aid other athletes overcome
paralyzing or physically disabling injuries or illnesses, and return to school.
 With the help of Nyeholt's teammate and now USC Associate Athletic Director
Ron Orr, "Swim With Mike" was born the following year when Nyeholt returned to
swim laps.

"We are fortunate to have PacifiCare with us to share our commitment in helping
our scholarship recipients pursue their education," said Orr.  "The students of
the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship are our inspiration, and we
thank PacifiCare for helping make the 25th Swim With Mike a success."

  2005 Swim With Mike Recipients:

  Name               Accident         Sport            School/Major/Year

  Robert Brooks      Amputee          Basketball,      USC -- Public
  Temecula, CA                        skiing,          Relations/
                                      bodyboarding     Sophomore

  Chris Cantwell     Diving           Swimming,        USC -- Electrical
  Chino Hills, CA    accident,        water polo       engineering/Senior
                     paraplegic

  Nick Enriquez      Beach            Football,        Southwestern Law --
  Glendora, CA       accident,        baseball         2nd Year Graduate
                     quadriplegic                      Student

  Chad Hendrickson   Beach            Soccer,          USC -- Mechanical
  Cerritos, CA       accident,        water polo       engineering/Senior
                     quadriplegic

  Regan Linton       Car accident,    Swimming,        USC -- American
  Denver, CO         paraplegic       soccer, cross    Studies/Senior
                                      country,
                                      softball

  Fulutusi Mailo     Beach            Football         BYU -- Undeclared/
  Kahuku, HI         accident,                         Sophomore
                     quadriplegic

  Ashley Olson       Car accident,    Basketball,      USC --
  Pleasanton, CA     paraplegic       volleyball       Communications/
                                                       Senior

  Sam Paneno         Football         Football         UC Davis Law
  Davis, CA          injury,                           School -- 3rd Year
                     amputee                           Graduate Student

  Joey Pulford       Beach            Water polo,      USC --
  Redondo Beach, CA  accident,        swimming         Architecture/
                     quadriplegic                      Junior

  David Van Wagener  Skiing           Skiing           Bucknell
  Greenwood          accident,                         University --
  Village, CO        paraplegic                        Chemical
                                                       Engineering/Junior

  Kris Wilson        Car accident,    Softball,        Wesleyan
  Marysville, KS     paraplegic       volleyball,      University,
                                      basketball       Nebraska --
                                                       Forensic
                                                       Science/Senior




PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation's largest consumer health
organizations with more than 3 million health plan members and approximately 10
million specialty plan members nationwide.  PacifiCare offers individuals,
employers and Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care
and life insurance products.  Currently, more than 99 percent of PacifiCare's
commercial health plan members are enrolled in plans that have received
Excellent Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
 PacifiCare's specialty operations include behavioral health, dental and
vision, and complete pharmacy and medical management through its wholly owned
subsidiary, Prescription Solutions.  More information on PacifiCare Health
Systems is available at pacificare.com.

"Caring is Good.  Doing Something is Better" is a service mark of PacifiCare
Health Systems Inc. 

DATASOURCE: PacifiCare



CONTACT:  Media, Anita Sen, Public Relations, [phone],

, for Swim With Mike 



Web site:  http://www.swimwithmike.org/ 

Web site:  http://www.pacificare.com/ 

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