COLUMBIA, S.C., May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved PGBA, LLC, doing business as InStil Health Solutions, as a sponsor for the Medicare-approved drug discount card and transitional assistance program.
Medicare approved beneficiaries can begin enrolling for the card beginning May 20 by calling 1-800-503-3112. Card usage will begin June 1. Low-income beneficiaries also may receive an additional $600 credit for their medicines in both 2004 and 2005 in the transitional assistance program.
InStil's card offers a variety of choices and locations for filling prescriptions. Cardholders may visit more than 55,000 retail pharmacies (chain and independents) nationwide, use a mail order pharmacy option, or take advantage of the Choice 90Rx program. Choice 90Rx gives enrollees the option of obtaining a 90-day supply of medication at participating network pharmacies.
Cardholders can save an average of 10 percent to 20 percent on drugs filled at network pharmacies and can achieve even deeper discounts through mail order and Choice 90Rx. InStil offers discounts off all drugs, not just the most commonly used by Medicare approved beneficiaries.
Under CMS approval, InStil may issue the discount drug cards under the following company names: Palmetto GBA, TrailBlazer Health Enterprises, Planned Administrators, PGBA and InStil Health Solutions.
InStil's discount drug card program will be supported by MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc. Located in San Diego, Calif., MedImpact provides pharmacy benefit management services to managed care organizations, Medicaid and Medicare programs, as well as self-funded employer groups.
Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., PGBA is one of South Carolina's largest companies and provides administrative services for the U.S. military's TRICARE health plan. Palmetto GBA and TrailBlazer are two of the largest Medicare administrative services contractors in the country. Each company has more than 35 years of Medicare experience and together served 14.1 million Medicare beneficiaries in 2003. Their combined scope of services reaches Medicare providers and beneficiaries in practically every state as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
PGBA, LLCCONTACT: Elizabeth Hammond, +1-803-264-4626, orElizabeth.Hammond@bcbssc.com, for PGBA, LLC