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Press Release

Nation's Leading Specialty Pharmacy Changes Name to PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy



LINCOLN, R.I., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmaCare announced today that the
name of CVS ProCare, its specialty pharmacy division, has changed to PharmaCare
Specialty Pharmacy. The name change will reduce market confusion and convey the
synergies that exist between offering pharmacy benefit management services along
with specialty pharmacy services.

"We are one of the first companies to recognize the tremendous need for
combining specialty pharmacy into our suite of cost containment programs," says
Greg Weishar, President and CEO of PharmaCare. "By combining our expertise in
prescription benefit management, we are uniquely able to provide better care. At
the same time, we lower costs for payors and improve satisfaction for
patients."

PharmaCare is the nation's fourth-largest prescription benefit manager,
helping health plans and employers make safe, cost-effective drug decisions for
over 15 million Americans. In 2001, the company took over management of CVS
ProCare, one of the country's largest specialty providers, serving 120,000
patients and close to 50,000 doctors across the country.

"While we are changing our name, our patients, doctors and managed care
partners will continue to receive the same level of outstanding service they
have come to expect," says Weishar. "The name change will also help reduce
market confusion and permit us to provide one face to the physician, payor and
pharmaceutical market and, most importantly, to our managed care customers."

PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy serves patients who require complex drug
therapies that treat autoimmune disorders, hepatitis, cancer, multiple
sclerosis, respiratory ailments, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions.
These drugs sometimes require injections and complicated dosing instructions,
and can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $250,000 a year. To better support the
financial and healthcare needs of patients, PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy offers
a variety of advanced services such as medication adherence monitoring, expert
medication counseling, drug interaction monitoring, reimbursement assistance and
patient counseling and education programs.

New signs reflecting the name change are up at the company's 38 retail
apothecaries coast to coast and at its mail order facility in Pittsburgh, which
together dispense up to 10,000 specialty drug prescriptions each day. All
locations and services will continue to operate as before, staffed by the same
professionals who've provided expert advice on complicated, high-cost therapies.
According to Knowledge Source, Inc., the specialty pharmacy market is expected
to grow to $35 billion next year - making it the fastest-growing portion of drug
spending in the United States.

On April 5, 2004, the Company entered into a definitive agreement under which
it will acquire 1,260 Eckerd drug stores, located mainly in the southern United
States, in addition to Eckerd Health Services, which includes Eckerd's mail
order and pharmacy benefit management businesses. The transaction will double
the size of PharmaCare to 30 million lives served with annual revenues in excess
of $2 billion. The transaction is subject to review under the Hart- Scott Rodino
Act as well as other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in
June of 2004. More information can be found at www.pharmacare.com.



About PharmaCare

PharmaCare is one of the largest pharmaceutical benefit management companies in the country. PharmaCare helps large employers, managed care organizations, insurance companies, unions and government agencies make safe, cost effective drug decisions for over 30 million Americans. The company's comprehensive PBM services include fully integrated, state-of-the art mail- service pharmacies and the largest specialty operation in the country. PharmaCare fills prescriptions at more than 56,800 retail pharmacies, located in all 50 states, and in nearly every city. PharmaCare is a wholly owned subsidiary of CVS Corporation (NYSE: CVS).

Contact:

Wendy Y. Lawton
401-553-5193
wlawton@rdwgroup.com


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