U.S. Health and Human Services partnering with major U.S. pharmacy chains to help customers learn about new Medicare benefits available under Affordable Care Act

Cindy Allen

WASHINGTON , August 16, 2012 (press release) – Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced partnerships with several pharmacies to help customers learn about new Medicare benefits available to them under the Affordable Care Act – the health care law. These partnerships – with CVS Caremark, Walgreens, Thrifty White, Walmart, and Sam’s Club – will provide Medicare beneficiaries a range of educational materials on newly available preventive services, as well as savings on prescription drug spending in the “donut hole” coverage gap. At a CVS in Jacksonville, Secretary Sebelius discussed the new preventive services and received a free blood pressure reading at the CVS MinuteClinic.

“Our pharmacy partners are helping their customers make informed health care decisions,” said Secretary Sebelius. “These partnerships will help people with Medicare learn more about new preventive services such as mammograms, and the new Annual Wellness visit that are available at no charge for everyone with Medicare.”

Some examples of how pharmacy partners are working to increase awareness of preventive services available under Medicare include the following:

CVS Caremark is distributing material about new preventive services covered at no cost to beneficiaries at its more than 7,300 CVS/pharmacy stores and 600 MinuteClinic locations, through brochures, register receipt messages and online.
Thrifty White Pharmacy is providing information on preventive services through its 85 locations throughout the Midwest.
Walgreens is distributing information in nearly 8,000 pharmacies and over 350 Take Care Clinic locations, as well as using in-store announcements and providing this information as part of its Walgreens Way to Well Health Tour with AARP.
HHS is working with Walmart and Sam’s Club to provide healthcare information to their shoppers online.

Other pharmacies or partners can find information on how to work with CMS to educate consumers about the benefits available to them at: http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/Current-Partnership-Opportunities/index.html

To learn more about Medicare, visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. This announcement is available on the CMS web site at: http://www.cms.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.

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