Medco's 2009 Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Options Help Seniors Bridge Gaps in Prescription Drug Coverage and Care

    --  Plan Options Offer Medicare Beneficiaries Affordable Access to the
        medications they need with the personalized care they deserve

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gaps in prescription drug coverage and care can have serious health consequences for seniors, particularly the 80 percent of Americans 65 and older living with chronic illness. Bridging those gaps by providing Medicare Part D beneficiaries with personalized information and tools to manage their medication costs and drug treatments can make all the difference.

Personalized information and tools are the cornerstones of Medco Health Solutions, Inc.'s (NYSE: MHS) 2009 Medco Medicare Prescription Plan(TM) options. The three different plans available - Access, Choice and Value - can help beneficiaries select affordable coverage options while also providing assistance to help them manage their conditions with the expertise of specialist pharmacists dedicated to the treatment of chronic illnesses.

The Medco Medicare Prescription Plan portfolio consists of the following:

    --  Access plan, a $0 deductible plan with copays for generic medications
        available for as little as $6 for each 90-day supply of generics via
        mail and generics coverage in the Coverage Gap;
    --  Choice plan, which features a $0 deductible, $6 for a 90-day supply of
        generic medications via mail, and access to more than 3,400 prescription
        drugs;
    --  Value plan, a low premium plan with access to thousands of medications
        including generic, brand name and specialty drugs.

"While our different plan options address beneficiaries' particular pharmacy needs, all three plans provide beneficiaries with the information, tools and services that assist them in making the most of their benefit," said David B. Snow Jr., Medco Chairman and CEO. "We recognize that the Coverage Gap is especially challenging for beneficiaries to navigate, so all three of our plan options focus on ways to help them delay or avoid reaching the Gap, in addition to helping them remain compliant on their medications if they do reach it."

A recent study by Medco shows Medicare beneficiaries on cholesterol-lowering drugs were nearly twice as likely to stop taking their medications once they reached the Coverage Gap, than they were in the initial phase of the benefit. The research also found that patients using a generic drug were more likely to take their medications continuously than those using a brand-name medication.

Medco's gap alert system helps keep members informed of their proximity to the Coverage Gap. All Medco Medicare Prescription Plan beneficiaries receive outbound mail and phone alerts that track their prescription drug spending in relation to the Gap, and are reminded of their Gap status when they call customer service for any reason.

In addition to the gap alert system, the following tools and services are available to all Medco Medicare plan members to help them better manage their health and ensure the safety of their medications, as well as aid them in making cost-effective choices that can keep them out of the Coverage Gap:

    --  Access to specialist pharmacists in the Medco Therapeutic Resource
        Centers(R). - these specially trained pharmacists focus their practice
        in the treatment of a specific chronic condition, such as diabetes,
        cancer, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary conditions, and therefore
        are better equipped to identify a potential safety issue.  Specialist
        pharmacists use integrated data systems to identify and counsel patients
        who are not properly adhering to their medications or may be at risk for
        a potential drug error, as well as offer suggestions for how to save
        money on their medications;

    --  Access to the My Rx Choices(R) prescription savings program, a one-of a
        kind cost-comparison program available via www.medco.com that can help
        members identify lower-cost medications options based on their Medco
        Medicare plan, and calculate savings by month and by year;

    --  Access to Medicare Advisors who are available 24 hours a day, seven days
        a week, and can help plan members identify and understand lower-cost
        medication options;

    --  Automated mail-order pharmacies that are designed to eliminate
        prescription drug errors.  In addition to improved safety, mail-order
        pharmacy can be a very convenient option for beneficiaries who travel
        often, are home-bound, or looking to save money on fuel.  Medco Medicare
        beneficiaries also have the access to tens of thousands of retail
        pharmacies across the country and in Puerto Rico.

All three plan design options within Medco's PDP are available in 35 Medicare regions, includingAlaska,Hawaii andPuerto Rico.

Enrollment for the 2009 plan year begins Nov. 15, 2008 with coverage beginning on Jan. 1, 2009. Those interested in learning more about the Medco Medicare Prescription Plan options can visit www.medcomedicare.com, or call toll-free 1-800-758-3605. TTY/TDD udders should call 1-800-716-3231.

About Medco

Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) is the nation's leading pharmacy benefit manager based on its 2007 total net revenues of more than $44 billion. Medco's prescription drug benefit programs, covering approximately one-in-five Americans, are designed to drive down the cost of pharmacy health care for private and public employers, health plans, labor unions and government agencies of all sizes, for individuals served by the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, and those served by Medco's specialty pharmacy segment, Accredo Health Group. Medco, the world's most advanced pharmacy(R), is positioned to serve the unique needs of patients with chronic and complex conditions through its Medco Therapeutic Resource Centers(R), including its enhanced diabetes pharmacy care practice through the Liberty acquisition. Medco is the highest-ranked independent pharmacy benefit manager on the 2008 Fortune 100 list. On the Net: http://www.medcohealth.com.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the risks and uncertainties that affect our business, particularly those mentioned in the Risk Factors section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Medco Health Solutions, Inc.

Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,HEA,MTC,INS,PDT,SCZ,NJ-Medco-Medicare

   _   _

           

Is your favorite bookmark site missing? Ask for it.