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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 KhZab4HMId2pii0YBXJ/MT0cayKcwcOmMLJU3GUu/+YVdu3oixMoB3nRL6CUa9QI
 wX4Y+CpgkQ8jWFuXdxKBow==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-010418.txt : 20030703
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-010418.hdr.sgml : 20030703
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030702215512
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-010418
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030702
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030703

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HARTSHORN TERRY O
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001209518

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31700
		FILM NUMBER:		03773639

	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>2003-07-02</periodOfReport><issuer><issuerCik>0001027974</issuerCik><issuerName>PACIFICARE HEALTH SYSTEMS INC /DE/</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>phs</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001209518</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>HARTSHORN TERRY O</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><v
alue>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>201</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-07-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>201</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>201</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><owner
shipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-07-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1084</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-07-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2002-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTit
le><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1084</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1084</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The Common Stock Units were received in lieu of annual director fees as provided for under the Director Plan.  Under the Director Plan, non-employee directors may elect to defer all or a portion of their annual retainer fees (on a pre-tax basis) into Common Stock Units held in an account maintained for the director under the Director Plan. The number of Common Stock Units a director receives is based on the closing price of Issuer's common stock on the day the annual retainer fee would have been paid but for the deferral.  When a director terminates his or her service as a director, a distribution from the director's Common Stoc
k Unit account under the Director Plan is made in a single payment of shares of Issuer's common stock.  With respect to the 2002 Common Stock Units, a Form 4 covering the Units deferred was inadvertently not filed at the time of deferral, but such Common Stock Units are being reported on this Form 4.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>s/Terry O Hartshorn</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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