CVS Caremark to Present Insights on Redefining the Consumer Health Care Experience at AHIP Institute 2008

WOONSOCKET, R.I., June 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) will host a panel discussion at America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) Institute 2008 to be held June 18-20, 2008 in San Francisco. The session, "Improving the Value of Health Care by Redefining the Consumer Experience" will discuss ways in which health plans can take a proactive approach to consumer health in order to consistently deliver the lowest overall cost and drive positive health outcomes for their customers.

As an integrated health care provider with more points of contact with customers than any other pharmacy company, CVS Caremark is uniquely positioned to engage consumers at more than 6,300 CVS/pharmacy stores and 500 MinuteClinic locations as well as through mail, telephone and on-line. In order to most effectively leverage these multiple touch points to drive positive health outcomes and reduce overall costs, CVS Caremark has created the Proactive Pharmacy Care model.

"We are redefining the pharmacy continuum of care," said Mitch Betses, vice president, health services, CVS Caremark Corporation. "As a combined retail pharmacy and PBM, we can serve as a true pharmacy home to complement and support the medical home. Proactive Pharmacy Care enables us to inform and engage consumers in ways that are personalized, convenient and accessible so that we can positively impact health outcomes."

CVS Caremark research shows that as many as 30% of people who fill a 'new to therapy' maintenance prescription will decide to discontinue taking that medication before their first refill is due. Additionally, over half of patients taking a maintenance medication will stop taking their prescription within their first year of treatment. The first phase of the Proactive Pharmacy Care model, recently implemented in all 6,300 CVS/pharmacy locations, has a number of elements aimed at improving patient engagement in how they manage their prescription therapies, including:

-- First Fill Counseling -- Targeted counseling for new-to-therapy patients to encourage known reasons for medication non-adherence

-- Adherence Outreach -- Outreach calls from the pharmacy to encourage patients who have stopped their drug therapy to restart therapy

-- IVR Refill -- Automated call reminders to patients to refill upcoming prescriptions

CVS Caremark is also addressing the issue of rising costs through the Proactive Pharmacy Care model and is piloting a variety of new cost savings initiatives. Two examples to be reviewed during the panel discussion include:

-- Maintenance Choice -- Plan sponsors and their beneficiaries may be able to enjoy cost savings usually available only at mail order, with customers on maintenance medications having the option of paying lower mail rates/copays for their 90-day medication supply at any one of the 6,300 CVS/pharmacy locations

-- ExtraCare Health -- CVS Caremark members will receive a special ExtraCare Health card offering an additional 20% discount on FSA-eligible CVS branded items and the opportunity to earn special offers and discounts tailored to their health care needs

Details on these programs as well as an overview on how health plans can work with CVS Caremark to measure and track the impact on outcomes and cost will be discussed as part of the AHIP Institute panel discussion taking place on Thursday, June 19th, 2008 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in room 3005 at Moscone Center West in San Francisco, CA. Panel participants include:

-- Bari Harlam, Vice President, Marketing, CVS Caremark Corporation

-- Asif Ally, R.Ph, Vice President, Market Strategy, CVS Caremark Corporation

-- Julie Slezak, Vice President, Analytics & Outcomes, CVS Caremark Corporation

-- Mitch Betses, R.Ph, Vice President, Health Services, CVS Caremark Corporation