Pharmacy Care Alliance Network Extends to More Than 41,000 Pharmacies

Following Medicare's approval of its prescription drug discount card, the Pharmacy Care Alliance today announced that its growing network of pharmacies includes more than 31,000 chain and 10,000 independent representing more than 41,000 local pharmacies across the U.S.

Pharmacy Care Alliance network pharmacies will help support the Medicare- approved Pharmacy Care Alliance drug discount card by accepting the card at all of their pharmacies, and helping Medicare beneficiaries understand the new benefit and how it can help them save money on their prescription drug costs.

Medicare beneficiaries can begin applying for the discount card in May, and the program will begin in June. The Pharmacy Care Alliance estimates that the Medicare beneficiaries will be able to save as much as 20 percent on brand name and 40 percent on generic prescription drugs through the program.

Medicare-approved drug discount cards are designed to help beneficiaries with prescription drug costs until the new federal prescription drug coverage -- Medicare Part D -- takes effect in January 2006. The members of the Pharmacy Care Alliance network of pharmacies include retail and grocery chains, deep discount, mass merchants and independent pharmacies. All retail pharmacies are invited into the program and new pharmacies continue to join:

    A&P
    Ahold USA
    Albertsons
    Amerisource Bergen
    Anchor Pharmacy
    Aurora Pharmacy
    Associated Wholesale Grocers
    Bashas' Inc.
    BJ's Pharmacy
    Brooks
    Brookshire Brothers
    Brookshire Grocery
    Cardinal Leader Drug Stores
    Carle Rx Express
    CK/KC Inc.
    Coborn's
    Costco
    CVS Pharmacy
    D&W Food Centers
    Dahl's Pharmacy
    Dierberg's Pharmacy
    Discount Drug Mart
    Doc's Drugs
    Drug Fair
    Duane Reade
    Eckerd
    Epic Pharmacy Network
    Fagen Pharmacy
    Family Care
    FamilyMeds
    Food Lion
    Fred's
    Fruth Pharmacy
    Felpausch Hometown Pharmacies
    Gemmel Pharmacy
    Giant Eagle
    Haggen Food & Pharmacy
    Hannaford Brothers
    Happy Harry's
    Harps Food Stores
    Harris Teeter
    Hartig
    Harvest Foods
    H-E-B Foods/Drugs
    Henry Ford Health System
    Hi-School
    Hy-Vee/Drugtown
    Ingles Markets
    Kash n' Karry
    Kerr Drug
    Keystone-Medicine Chest
    Kinney Drugs
    Klingensmith's
    Kmart
    Knight Drugs
    Kopp Drug
    Kroger
    Food City
    Longs
    Marc Glassman
    Marsh Drug
    May's Drug
    McKesson AccessHealth
    Med-Fast Pharmacy
    Medic Drug
    Medicap
    Medicine Shoppe
    Med-X
    Meijer
    Minyard
    Nash Finch Company
    Navarro
    NeighborCare
    Northeast Pharmacy Services
    Park Nicollet
    Pathmark Stores
    Penn Traffic Company
    Pharmacy Express Services
    Price-Less
    Publix
    Quick Chek
    Raley's
    Rite Aid
    Rosauers Pharmacy
    RXD
    Safeway
    Save Mart
    Sav-More
    Schnuck Markets Pharmacy
    Scolari's
    Shelley's
    Shopko
    Snyder Drug/Drug Emporium
    Spartan Stores, Inc.
    Star Markets
    SUPERVALU
    Target Stores
    The Bartell Drug Company
    Times Supermarket
    Ukrop's Pharmacy
    United Drug
    United of Texas
    United Supermarkets
    USA Drug/SuperD
    VG's Pharmacy
    Wakefern Food
    Wal-Mart
    Wegmans
    Weis Markets
    Winn-Dixie

"We are pleased to welcome these pharmacies into the Pharmacy Care Alliance network," said Mary Ann Wagner, president and consumer health adviser for the Pharmacy Care Alliance. "Together, we'll work to help seniors save money on their prescription drugs while also keeping health and safety top of mind. And, since the Pharmacy Care Alliance is designed in alliance with community pharmacies, the pharmacist will continue to serve as a trusted advisor for seniors while the pharmacy will remain a cornerstone in care and support."

The Pharmacy Care Alliance The Pharmacy Care Alliance is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization. It is an alliance between the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), which represents 216 chain pharmacies operating more than 35,000 retail community pharmacies, and Express Scripts (Nasdaq: ESRX), one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in North America. The Pharmacy Care Alliance discount card will be supported by neighborhood pharmacists in its network of participating pharmacies, who will provide support and counsel to program members, advise on ways to lower overall prescription drug costs and ensure the safety of all medications.

SOURCE Pharmacy Care Alliance