BROOKFIELD, Wis. -- After years of serial buying, Fiserv Inc. isselling.

The company that built itself into a financial servicestechnology powerhouse with 147 acquisitions since it was founded in1984 says it is planning to sell "substantially all" of itshealth-related businesses to UnitedHealthcare for $775 million incash, pending regulatory approval.

The deal will allow Fiserv to concentrate on what many mightcall its core competency--financial services. The company is by farthe largest provider of core processing and related services tocredit unions, with seven different units specializing in thatspace, and has a wide array of similar operations serving banks,investment operations and insurance companies.

"Now," says Jeffery Yabuki, president and CEO, "Fiserv will becompletely focused on expanding its technology leadership positionacross the financial services landscape."

Fiserv had total revenues of $4.5 billion in fiscal 2006 withmore than 23,000 employees and more than 18,000 client companiesworldwide. Fiserv Health provides services to more than 2 millionend users, the company says.

UnitedHealthcare, part of Minneapolis-based United Health Group,provides health care services to more than 26 million peoplethrough more than 535,000 health-care professionals and 4,700hospitals nationwide. The parent company reported revenues ofnearly $72 billion in fiscal 2006.

Included in the sale are the Fiserv Health Plan Administration,the nation's largest third-party administrator of self-fundedhealth plans; Fiserv Health Plan Management, an outsourcing servicefor mid-sized health plans and health-care payer organizations;Innoviant, a prescription benefits administrator; InnoviantPharmacy, a prescription mail-order service; Avidyn Health, acare-management company; and four other components of FiservHealth's ancillary businesses.

Fiserv says it's keeping its workers' compensation servicesorganization, which includes the recently announced WorkingRxacquisition, as well as CareGain Inc., a technology business thatservices health banking solutions. Health savings accounts, forinstance, fall under that category.

"Over the last year, we have put together a

powerful combination of solutions to enhance our valueproposition for clients, employees and

shareholders," Yabuki says.

"We intend to operate businesses where we bring unique marketvalue through our technology solutions and product integration.Additionally, through recently announced acquisitions such asCheckFree, we are both expanding our payments leadership positionand delivering best-in-class solutions for clients," he says.

Yabuki says, in addition to concentrating on financial services,the sale was appealing because of United Healthcare's extensivenetwork management capabilities and specialty offerings.

He also says, "I believe that our employees will have enhancedcareer opportunities with United Healthcare."

UnitedHealthcare says Fiserv Health's current management "willplay a key role in the leadership of the combined businesses."

Ken Burdick, UnitedHealthcare's president and CEO, also says,"Fiserv Health has a set of strategic and well-positionedbusinesses, a strong management team and talented employees whoconsistently deliver excellent customer service.

"Combining Fiserv Health's vibrant assets and capabilities withthose we currently offer will produce an expanded suite of servicesfor customers seeking dedicated, customized benefit packages.

"We look forward to welcoming Fiserv Health's businesses andemployees into the United Healthcare family and to working togetherto provide even more valuable services to our combined customerbase."

Fiserv says it expects to net about $475 million in the sale,which is expected to be completed by March.

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