Press Release Details

Quest Diagnostics Announces Laboratory Services Agreement With Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield of New York

07/18/2001

Under the contract, Quest Diagnostics is the exclusive national laboratory provider to participate as a preferred provider of laboratory services for Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield's indemnity and Preferred Provider Organization health plans. In addition Quest Diagnostics will manage a network of laboratory providers for Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield's HMO plans through the QuestNet network management service. Additional terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the largest health insurer in New York, providing health insurance coverage for 4.3 million indemnity and managed care subscribers. For over 65 years, Empire has played a major role in helping to meet the health care needs of New Yorkers residing in the 28 counties of eastern New York, as well as multi-state employer groups.

"We are pleased that physicians and members of Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans will now have access to the full resources of all Quest Diagnostics facilities through one contract," said Surya N. Mohapatra, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of Quest Diagnostics.

Quest Diagnostics is the nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services with annual revenues of $3.4 billion in 2000. The company's diagnostic testing yields information that enables health care professionals and consumers to make better decisions to improve health. Quest Diagnostics offers patients and physicians the broadest access to diagnostic testing services through its national network of approximately 30 full-service laboratories, 150 rapid response laboratories and more than 1,300 patient service centers, where specimens are collected. Quest Diagnostics is the leading provider of esoteric testing, including gene-based testing, and is the leader in routine medical testing, drugs of abuse testing, and non-hospital-based anatomic pathology testing. Through partnerships with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and information technology companies, Quest Diagnostics provides support to help speed the development of health care insights and new therapeutics. Additional company information can be found on the Internet at: http://www.questdiagnostics.com.

The statements in this press release which are not historical facts or information may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the outcome to be materially different. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are described in the Quest Diagnostics Incorporated 2000 Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

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CONTACT:          Investors - Cathy Doherty, +1-201-393-5030, or Media - Gary
                  Samuels, +1-201-393-5700, both for Quest Diagnostics