Medco Joins Cincinnati's 'Cover the Uninsured Week' Effort To Deliver Lower Cost Health Care

CINCINNATI, April 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS), one of the nation's leading pharmacy benefit managers, announced its participation in the greater Cincinnati area's "Cover the Uninsured Week" programs from April 25-May 3. Businesses and the health care community have rallied around this program to raise awareness about the plight of the region's nearly 300,000 uninsured residents.

Programs sponsored by "Cover the Uninsured Week" help local residents who are uninsured or have limited benefits find access to programs that help make health care more affordable. In the spirit of the week, Medco is making its Medco Rx Discount Program(R) available at "Cover the Uninsured Week" programs in the region. Medco's discount card, which is not an insurance program, provides enrollees an opportunity to save an average of 14 to 45 percent off prescription medications and receive advanced pharmacy care from specialist pharmacists. Enrollees can fill prescriptions at Medco's mail-order pharmacy, or at any of the approximately 60,000 independent and chain retail pharmacies that participate in Medco's network. Enrollees, who must be over 18 years of age to enroll, do not have to satisfy any income requirements to obtain a discount card. The Medco's Rx Discount Program costs $25 annually for an individual and $40 per family.

In 2005, approximately 10.5 percent of the Greater Cincinnati population did not receive prescription medication because they needed the money to buy food, clothing or pay for housing, and 26.9 percent of the uninsured were unable to purchase needed medication, according to CoverCincy.org, the Website for the event's organizers.

"Pharmacy care is an important component of helping to reduce a burdened health care system because patients who are fully compliant with their medication regimen have a reduced risk for hospitalization and other costly complications," said Sally Yingling, Senior Director, Limited Benefit Solutions, Medco. "Providing affordable access to prescription medications is integral in keeping patients compliant with their treatment."

In addition to savings on medications, people who use the Medco Rx Discount Program also gain access to more than 1,100 specialist pharmacists who can help them better manage their medications. Medco's specialist pharmacists focus on some of the most common conditions American's face, including heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and asthma, and are specifically trained to treat patients with these conditions. Specialist pharmacists consult with doctors and patients about drug safety and also about help to ensure patients are receiving the most affordable medications.

Cover the Uninsured Week is a national effort by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to highlight the fact that 47 million Americans are without insurance and to demand solutions from national leaders. In the Cincinnati area, volunteers will be at 15 different Kroger stores between 9 a.m. and noon on Saturday, May 3 for a variety of health programs. Those who need coverage should bring proof of income, proof of pregnancy (if relevant), proof of other insurance, outstanding medical bills and proof of citizenship to determine eligibility for available health programs.

About Medco

Medco Health Solutions, Inc., (NYSE: MHS) is the nation's leading pharmacy benefit manager based on its 2007 total net revenues of more than $44 billion. Medco's prescription drug benefit programs, covering approximately one in five Americans, are designed to drive down the cost of pharmacy health care for private and public employers, health plans, labor unions and government agencies of all sizes, and for individuals served by the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program and those served by its specialty pharmacy segment, Accredo Health Group. Medco, the world's most advanced pharmacy(TM), is positioned to serve the unique needs of patients with chronic and complex conditions through its Medco Therapeutic Resource Centers(R), including its enhanced diabetes pharmacy care practice through the Liberty acquisition. Medco is the highest-ranked independent pharmacy benefit manager on the 2008 Fortune 100 list. On the Net: http://www.medco.com.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the risks and uncertainties that affect our business, particularly those mentioned in the Risk Factors section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Medco Health Solutions, Inc.