FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             Contact: Michael P. Donovan
- ---------------------                             Mdonovan@HealthExtras.com
                                                  -------------------------
                                                  HealthExtras, Inc.
                                                  301-548-2900




               HEALTHEXTRAS ADDS A HEALTH CARE EXPERT TO THE BOARD
       AND THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP'S BOARD REPRESENTATION IS REDUCED
       AS THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO ENHANCE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRACTICES


ROCKVILLE, MD, APRIL 12, 2006 - HEALTHEXTRAS, INC. (NASDAQ: HLEX), a pharmacy
benefit management company, today announced that Kenneth A. Samet has joined the
Board of Directors. Mr. Samet is currently the President and Chief Operating
Officer of MedStar Health, a Baltimore/Washington, D.C. based healthcare
provider that manages six acute care hospitals and other healthcare related
services. MedStar has over $2.7 billion in revenues and employs over 22,000
people. Mr. Samet has been involved in the healthcare industry since receiving
his master's degree in health services from the University of Michigan. Ken
Samet is an experienced healthcare professional who will be an excellent
addition to the HealthExtras Board, and will serve on its Audit and Compensation
Committees. He replaces Fred Graefe as a Board member. Mr. Graefe is expected to
consult with the Company and other clients on legislative matters affecting the
healthcare industry.

Further, The Principal Financial Group's representation on the Board is reduced
as Mr. Thomas J. Graf and Ms. Deanna Strable-Soethout have resigned from the
Board. Mr. Graf has been a Board member of the Company since its inception in
1998 by a venture capital investment from the Principal Financial Group and
Thomas L. Blair, Founder of HealthExtras. Ms. Strable-Soethout has served on the
Board since 2002. Mr. Graf has contributed to HealthExtras' strategic growth
since 1998 and he and Ms. Strable-Soethout have been valuable sources of advice
and counsel to Management and fellow Board members.

After these changes, the HealthExtras Board will consist of nine members, seven
of whom are business professionals meeting the standards for independence.

The Board also formed an Ethics, Governance and Nominating Committee from the
Ethics and Compliance Committee and the Nominating Committee. This newly
consolidated committee, in addition to identifying candidates for the Board,
will focus on a continuation of employee training and continued development of
policies and procedures that range from business ethics to marketing practices
and the protection of client information.

About HealthExtras (www.healthextras.com)
                    --------------------

HealthExtras, Inc. is a full-service pharmacy management company. Its clients
include self-insured employers, including state and local governments,
third-party administrators, managed care organizations and individuals. The
Company's integrated pharmacy benefit management services marketed under the
name Catalyst Rx include: claims processing, benefit design consultation, drug
utilization review, formulary management, drug data analysis services and mail
order services. Additionally, the Company operates a national retail pharmacy
network with over 55,000 participating pharmacies.

THIS PRESS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION. THE FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS ARE MADE PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE
SECURITIES LITIGATION ACT OF 1995. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MAY BE
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY CERTAIN RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES DESCRIBED IN
HEALTHEXTRAS' FILINGS WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.