-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 RTrcVWqt1FugNIOnIuar2rC6EUNZ+1vRhV+k6E8yqrRijwsEVaqqNfw+46sLip3g
 duXHkhXNvXIFgNNt66j6ow==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-005440.txt : 20030523
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-005440.hdr.sgml : 20030523
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030523141714
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-005440
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030521
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030523

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BOWLUS BRADFORD A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001209505

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-21949
		FILM NUMBER:		03717936

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5995 PLAZA DR
		CITY:			CYPRESS
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90630

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PACIFICARE HEALTH SYSTEMS INC /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001027974
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HOSPITAL & MEDICAL SERVICE PLANS [6324]
		IRS NUMBER:				954591529
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3120 LAKE CENTER DRIVE
		CITY:			SANTA ANA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92704
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7148255200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3120 LAKE CENTER DRIVE
		CITY:			SANTA ANA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92704

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	N T HOLDINGS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19961204
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-21</periodOfReport><issuer><issuerCik>0001027974</issuerCik><issuerName>PACIFICARE HEALTH SYSTEMS INC /DE/</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>phsy</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001209505</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>BOWLUS BRADFORD A</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Pres &amp; CEO, Health Plan Div</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>16.375</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12837.346</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</trans
actionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>38</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>337.346</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved
>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-02</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>87500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Granted under the 1996 Stock Option Plan for Officers and Key Em
ployees of PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc., as amended, in a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3.  The option becomes vested in four equal annual installments on each of the first four anniversaries of the date of grant (January 1, 2002).</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Bradford A Bowlus</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----