NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) June 18, 2002--Standard&Poor's said today that UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s plan to acquire AmeriChoice Corp. will have no effect on the ratings at this time. Valued at $560 million, the acquisition will be a 100% stock transaction, is subject to regulatory approval, and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2002. AmeriChoice's consolidated operating performance has improved considerably in the past two years to $30.3 million net income for 2001. "The combined Medicaid membership of more than 1 million (including the AmeriChoice members, which totaled 370,000 as of Dec. 31, 2001) will add economies of scale and management focus to United's Medicaid business," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Shellie Stoddard. Nevertheless,
