TEXT-S&P rates Kaiser Foundation Health Plan subsidiaries 'A+';outlk stable

(The following statement was released by the rating agency)

June 18 -

Overview

-- Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. (A+/Stable) is the lead health insurance entity within Kaiser Permanente, the largest not-for-profit integrated healthcare delivery system in the U.S.

-- We are assigning our 'A+' financial strength rating to six of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.'s regulated insurance subsidiaries.

-- The stable outlook reflects our expectations of good membership growth and stable operating results in 2012.

Rating Action

On June 18, 2012, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'A+' financial strength rating to six of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc.'s regulated insurance subsidiaries:

-- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest;

-- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado;

-- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States Inc.;

-- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia Inc.;

-- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Ohio; and

-- Kaiser Permanente Insurance Co. (KPIC).

The outlook on each subsidiary is stable.

Rationale

The rating assignments on the first five subsidiaries listed above are based on our application of both Standard & Poor's guarantee criteria and "core" group status designation in accordance with our group rating methodology. The rating assignment on the sixth company, KPIC, is based solely on the application of "core" group status designation per our group rating methodology.