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Harold "Bill” Hamilton has been selected as the recipient of the Humana Starlight Award, honoring the efforts of senior citizens who volunteer in the Omaha and Lincoln areas. In recognition of his service, Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) awarded a $10,000 grant to Volunteers Assisting Seniors (VAS), the nonprofit organization of Hamilton’s choosing. Bill Hamilton has compiled more than 700 service hours annually for more than a decade as an active volunteer for Volunteers Assisting Seniors in Omaha. Hamilton meets with other seniors face-to-face or over the phone helping them get answers to obstacles such as pressing medical bills, legal help for estate concerns and assistance managing their finances. A crucial part of Hamilton’s volunteer activities include helping seniors with Medicare and Medicaid benefits coverage, including Part D drug enrollments. During the annual Medicare enrollment period – November 15 to December 31, Hamilton meets face-to-face with 30 to 40 seniors seeking guidance on which of the many plans is best for their medical and prescription needs. "One of my biggest challenges is making sure our senior clients understand the benefits and resources available to meet their health care insurance needs,” said Bill Hamilton, volunteer at Volunteers Assisting Seniors. "I feel good about giving helpful service. When they look you in the eye and smile about the problem we have reviewed - it’s all the payback I need.” The Starlight Award is sponsored by Humana, but it is a panel of local judges – comprised of community leaders, local executives and healthcare providers – that evaluates the applications and chooses the award recipient. Thirty nonprofit organizations from the Lincoln and Omaha areas nominated their senior citizen volunteers for the 2007 Humana Starlight Award. Nominees are evaluated on the dedication and leadership they have demonstrated, as well as the impact their volunteer efforts have had on others in the community. "At Humana, we truly understand the value of educating people about their health insurance options, especially when it pertains to a system as complex as Medicare,” said Rob Hitchcock, vice president of Medicare operations in Humana’s 26 state Western Division. "We applaud Bill for his tireless work, and we know that because of his services seniors are enabled to make better choices, save money and gain access to a greater range of medical services.” Humana, one of Nebraska’s leading providers of Medicare health plans and prescription drug plans, created the Starlight Award to honor an exceptional senior citizen volunteer, as well as to provide financial support for a nonprofit organization whose good work benefits the community. The Humana Starlight Award was presented at a special recognition ceremony October 23rd in conjunction with the opening of Humana’s new Lincoln office. The Humana Starlight Award began last year in Nebraska, and this year the company will also present similar awards in Des Moines, Grand Rapids and Salt Lake City. Omaha resident Ana Ochoa was the inaugural recipient of the Humana Starlight Award. In recognition of her service, Humana awarded a $10,000 grant last year to Heartland Family Service in Omaha, the nonprofit organization where Ochoa volunteers. Anyone who is 65 years of age or older and has served as a volunteer for a nonprofit organization in Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders, or Washington counties in the Omaha area, or Gage and Lancaster counties in the Lincoln area, is eligible for the Humana Starlight Award. To nominate a senior citizen volunteer, nonprofit organizations must be classified as a 501(c)(3) and serve the community in one of three areas: Mind: Organizations or institutions that seek to improve the educational landscape, resulting in higher levels of achievement Body: Organizations or human service agencies engaged in the promotion of healthy bodies and lifestyles Spirit: Civic & cultural development organizations that seek to inspire communities and enliven the human spirit For more information about the Humana Starlight Award, visit http://www.humana.com/about/company_information/starlight.asp, or contact Humana’s Nebraska offices at 11420 Blondo Street, Suite 102; Omaha, NE 68164, 402-496-3388, toll-free at 1-800-941-1182. Or contact the Humana Lincoln office at 5521 Shady Creek Ct., Ste. 1; Lincoln, NE 68516, 1-800-347-1678. About Humana Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with approximately 11.3 million medical members, including more than 65,000 in Nebraska. Humana offers a diversified portfolio of health insurance products and related services – through traditional and consumer-choice plans – to employer groups, government-sponsored plans, and individuals. Over its 46-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of: Annual reports to stockholders; Securities and Exchange Commission filings; Most recent investor conference presentations; Quarterly earnings news releases; Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls; Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors); Corporate Governance Information.