INDIANAPOLIS, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has begun selling its Medicare-approved drug discount card to both members and non-members in the nine states where Anthem does business.
"Americans want innovation, continuous improvement and a commitment to quality and excellence. These are the values that we are applying in the journey towards improving access to affordable, quality health care through the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003," said Larry C. Glasscock, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Anthem. "Offering a prescription drug discount card is a good next step in our collaborative efforts with physicians, hospitals, employers, consumers and the government to help make it easier for more Americans to be able to afford and get needed care."
Anthem's Medicare-approved drug discount card is available to Medicare beneficiaries in Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Colorado and Nevada. Enrollees in Anthem's Medicare-approved drug discount card program are expected to save between 10 to 25 percent off retail prices at Anthem's wide network of retail and mail service pharmacies.
Anthem's nationally recognized pharmacy benefits management company, Anthem Prescription Management, will administer the program, screening all prescriptions for:
- Early or excessive refills that could lead to increased risk of complications - Potentially harmful drug interactions, drug-to-drug duplications of therapy and minimum/maximum dosage - Medication indications/ warnings for specific age or gender group - Instances where the prescribed dose of a medication is above the maximum or below the minimum manufacturer/ FDA recommended dosage - Drugs with similar names to help decrease risk of dispensing errors
Anthem members in a Medicare + Choice plan (Anthem Senior Advantage or Anthem Medicare Preferred) are automatically enrolled at no additional fee in Anthem's Medicare-approved exclusive drug discount card program. All other Medicare beneficiaries, including Anthem members with supplemental Medicare coverage, will pay a $14.95 annual enrollment fee for an Anthem Medicare- approved drug discount card. Those interested in applying for Anthem's card can call 1-888-730-2804.
"We think that our health plan and prescription drug management experience will help ensure the best balance of price, accessibility and customer service," said Mark Boxer, senior vice president and chief strategy and business development officer for Anthem. "Our mission is to improve the health of the people we serve, and this program gives us another opportunity to further the mission with our current, Medicare-eligible members, as well as initiate new relationships with other Medicare beneficiaries. We see this as another step in the journey to help improve health care for all Americans."
Anthem's mission is to improve the health of the people it serves. The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies provide health care benefits to more than 12.5 million people. They are subsidiaries of Anthem, Inc. ; all are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Anthem is the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Colorado, Nevada, Maine and Virginia, excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. More information about Anthem is available at http://www.anthem.com/ .
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue ShieldCONTACT: Clark Dumont, +1-603-695-7202, or Deborah New, +1-317-488-6350,both of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
