Rx Matters - Walgreens · therapy and advice on how to manage common side effects, such as depression, fatigue, nausea and rashes. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy has also enhanced the

Volume 4, Number 2

Rx Matters

New Integrated Solution Cuts Costs, Improves Health In these challenging economic times, many companies are looking for ways to save money. But when it comes to healthcare, they often ask, “How do we manage our costs without sacrificing our employees’ health?” Walgreens new integrated healthcare solution—Complete Care and Well-Being program—is the answer.

Walgreens Complete Care and Well-Being program combines employer on-site health centers with Walgreens drugstores and in-store Take Care ClinicsSM, to provide a single-source offering for an employer’s health and wellness needs.

Beneficiaries have access to their worksite centers, operated by Take Care Health SystemsSM, a wholly owned subsidiary

of Walgreens and to more than 300 Take Care Clinics. Take Care health providers perform health evaluations and treat everything from primary care to health and wellness needs, such as immunizations. If a prescription is needed, beneficiaries can conveniently fill their prescription at a pharmacy located within some employer worksite centers or at one of our more than 6,500 community pharmacies.

Also in This Issue:

Nationwide Flu Immunization Provider ......................................... 2

Mail Service Enhancements .....3

COPD Program Helps Members Breathe Easier ............................. 5

Specialty Pharmacy Serves More Members .......................6

New Retail-Focused Client Web Site ................................... 7

Gamunex® Approved for CIDP Patients ............................ 7

Specialty Pharmacy and PBM Reports Provide Insight ..........8

“Give 5, Get 5” Program for Women’s Health ..................... 9

Mark Your Calendar ................10

Rx Drug Update .......................10

New Rx Indications ..................10

National Observances ........... 11

A newsletter created especially for managed care clients, delivering

a mix of news and trends in healthcare, and up-to-date information

about our products and services

continued on p. 2

22©2009 Walgreen Co. All rights reserved. Volume 4, Number 2

Rx Matters

The program combines multiple points of care with affordable programs for employers, and makes it more accessible for patients. This holistic approach will help lower employer healthcare costs, and produce greater patient satisfaction and better health outcomes through increased adherence. That, in turn, equates to a reduction in a health plan’s overall costs.

“Complete Care and Well-Being can be a single-source offering, using Walgreens pharmacy administration capabilities, or can be integrated with an existing pharmacy and healthcare benefit provider,” says Greg Wasson, Walgreens CEO and president. “The prescription pricing component allows companies that use a PBM to continue doing so while taking advantage of all that we can offer. Insurers and managed care organizations can also offer more value in their own networks by capitalizing on the depth of our program and its nationwide availability of services.”

Walgreens will work with you to determine the pricing structure and identify the potential value added. Pricing is based analysis of your claims data, mapping employee locations against our retail network and establishing a worksite pharmacy or health center. We will also work with you and your company’s existing PBM to obtain the drug pricing information necessary to demonstrate cost savings between the traditional network pricing and the pricing derived from the Complete Care and Well-Being Program.

To learn more about this unique approach to healthcare or to see if this program is a fit for your organization, contact your account representative or visit takecareemployersolutions.com.

Why Walgreens Should Be Your Nationwide Provider of Flu Immunizations We might have just wrapped up this year’s flu season, but it’s never too early to start preparing for next year. Walgreens is one of the only providers to offer flu immunizations on a national level throughout the flu season, providing your members with convenient access to affordable, preventive healthcare. We can offer multiple billing options to our clients, either through their pharmacy or medical benefit, Medicare Part B or a direct invoice from Walgreen Co., making the process more flexible.

Integrated Healthcare (continued from p. 1)

Walgreens will offer a national immunization solution available at more than 7,000 points of care in 50 states. Walgreens is one of the only providers to

offer flu immunizations on a national level throughout the flu seaon.

©2009 Walgreen Co. All rights reserved. Volume 4, Number 223

Working with Walgreens to provide flu/pneumonia immunizations gives your members full access to:• Pharmacist-administeredfluvaccinesin48statesandpneumoniavaccinesin46states*• Walk-inclinics,aswellasscheduledin-storefluclinics,atnearly7,000Walgreenscommunity

pharmacies throughout the flu season• Dailywalk-insatmorethan300TakeCareClinicsin35majormarkets• Thetraditionalflushot,alongwithFluMist®, an intranasal vaccine for people who don’t

like needles, and a preservative-free option for pregnant women and patients with allergies to traditional preservatives

• Fluandpneumoniaimmunizationsprovidedatemployerworksitelocations

The flu and its complications alone are responsible for an average of 226,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths in the United States each year. The economic burden of these complications can be seen in both direct costs (e.g., costs of medical care) and indirect costs (e.g., lost productivity in the workforce). Offering an immunization program to your members protects them from serious flu- and pneumonia-related complications, but it also protects your bottom line.

Help keep your members healthy and reduce your costs for the upcoming flu season by contacting your account representative today to participate in our nationwide 2009-2010 Flu/Pneumonia Immunization Program.

*Duetostateregulations,pharmacistsarenotauthorizedtoadministerpneumoniavaccinesinConnecticut,Florida,MaineandNorthDakota, and are not authorized to administer flu vaccines in Maine and North Dakota.

Enhancements for Your Mail Service Members New features added to WalgreensMail.com Walgreens Mail Service has enhanced its member web site to provide more information about their prescriptions, including the number of remaining refills and estimated next refill date for each prescription.

“In addition, members can either set up or cancel auto refills and select from multiple shipping addresses during the refill process without calling the Customer Care Center,” said Kristi Ramirez, director of the Walgreens Health Services web strategy team. “These enhancements help to create a better customer experience.”

continued on p. 4

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Rx Matters


An online account allows your members to manage their prescriptions and receive timely information regarding their benefit and refill orders through order status emails and personal secure messages.

Walgreens Mail Service has also revamped the welcome page of WalgreensMail.com to better showcase member options for easier navigation.

“These WalgreensMail.com improvements reflect our goal to provide your members easy access to the information they want, when they want it, from the privacy of their computers,” Ramirez added.

Efficient and High-Quality Member Experience Walgreens recently rolled out an enhanced automated phone system that gives your members who are using mail service quick, convenient access to their prescription information. With this new speech recognition-enabled system, members have faster, easier access to:• Orderprescriptionrefills• Checkorderstatusandaccountbalance• Makeautomatedpayments• Updatecreditcardinformation• Setupautorefillsforeachprescription

In addition to providing a quicker, more satisfying experience for your members, our goal is to increase the efficiencies of our Customer Care Centers to provide unsurpassed customer service. Two new tools will help us do just that. The first involves adding features to our current state-of-the-art Aspect® eWorkforce™ Management platform to optimize our workforce and enhance the customer experience through real-time monitoring of agent performance.

The second enhancement involves moving to the NICE call recording platform. This world-class tool will allow us to capture screen and voice recordings for more effective quality monitoring and coaching. Our goal is to reduce the length of time that your members are on the phone with us by improving agent efficiency while providing high-quality service.

All this adds up to a positive experience for your members, while keeping plan costs down. Stay tuned to future issues of Rx Matters to learn more about our new automated phone system.

Mail Service Enhancements (continued from p. 3)


New COPD Program Helps Your Members Breathe Easier Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease that makes it harder for people to breathe over time. It’s a major cause of disability, and the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. More than 12 million people are currently diagnosed with COPD and an additional 12 million likely have the disease and don’t even know it. In order to bring down costs associated with this disease and to improve patients’ quality of life, Walgreens-OptionCare created a clinical program to identify people in the earlier stages of COPD who would benefit from clinical intervention.

COPD is the term used to describe a group of diseases that share similar symptoms and treatments. Most people who have COPD usually have one of two conditions—emphysema or chronic obstructive bronchitis—both of which reduce lung function and cause similar health problems such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, that worsen over time and can limit the ability to perform routine activities. COPD has no cure; however, treatments and lifestyle changes can help patients feel better, stay more active and slow the progress of the disease.

Through our new COPD management program, Walgreens-OptionCare account managers and respiratory therapists work with primary care physicians to help them identify and manage COPD patients earlier in the disease’s progres-sion. We work with the patients to educate them about the disease and how to take care of themselves properly. We then conduct regular clinical assessments to help avoid the exacer-bations which might contribute to other comorbidities. For health plans, this can lead to reduced cost of care through slowed disease progression, improved adherence to prescribed therapies and potentially more effective management of comorbidities. For more information on the Walgreens-OptionCare COPD management program, email [email protected].


Rx Matters

Specialty Pharmacy Serving a Growing Number of Patients Whether it’s adding patient resources or growing our business through acquisitions, Walgreens is always looking for ways to provide better care for your members. The following additions to our business model represent the newest ways we can help members better manage their diseases through information and greater access to care in the specialty pharmacy arena.

Walgreens Acquires McKesson’s Specialty Pharmacy Business InDecember2008,WalgreenscompletedtheacquisitionofMcKessonCorporation’sspecialtypharmacy, a business within McKesson’s specialty division. This is another milestone in demonstrat-ing Walgreens commitment to growing our specialty pharmacy business. The acquisition includes McKesson Specialty Pharmacy in Pittsburgh, as well as IVPCARE based in Frisco, TX, with dispensing operations in Torrance, CA, Wilmington, MA and St. Louis, MO. The reproductive health services offered through IVPCARE, coupled with our existing reproductive services, positions Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy as the nation’s second-largest provider of care and support for individuals undergoing treatment for infertility.

In addition to increasing our services in reproductive health, this acquisition also increases our access to a significant number of limited-distribution medications.

New Educational Resource for Patients Receiving Oral Chemotherapy Cancer patients who have begun filling their oral chemotherapy medications for a variety of cancers through Walgreens Specialty Pharmacynowreceivea28-pagebooklettitled“OralMedicationfor Cancer Treatment: What You Need to Know.” It includes tips to stay adherent, why it’s important to follow the prescribed therapy and advice on how to manage common side effects, such as depression, fatigue, nausea and rashes.

Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy has also enhanced the patient education resources for Spanish-speaking patients participating in support services for hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and oral chemotherapy.


Simply Point and Click to Learn About Walgreens Retail Services We’re confident that the majority of our members have visited our Walgreens.com consumer web site to refill a prescription, check out the Health Library to learn more about a specific health condition or upload and purchase photos. Now we are able to offer you the same convenience at WalgreensHealth.com/retail to help you learn more about the innovative, convenient and cost-saving retail services that are already available to your members, as well as additional services you can choose to provide.

As a payor, your ability to achieve a healthy bottom line while providing high-quality care is challenging on many fronts. On our client web site, you can read about how we can assist you in meeting your goals by providing member-focused services that can help promote positive outcomes and manage costs. The new retail pharmacy services section includes information on the following programs and services: 90-Day at Retail, Take Care Clinics, Flu/Pneumonia Immunization Program, MedMonitor® Complete and compounding medications. You will also be able to learn more about the healthcare-related

services Walgreens has to offer, such as the AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour, Prescription Savings Club and additional immunization services.

WalgreensHealth.com is also a central location to discover a variety of additional integrated health-care services available to meet all your pharmacy needs—from cost-effective pharmacy benefit management and mail service to specialty pharmacy, home infusion and respiratory therapy.

FDA Approves Gamunex® for CIDP Patients InSeptember2008,theFDAdesignatedGamunex®, an intravenous immune globulin therapy, as the first approved treatment option for people with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). CIDP is a rare neurologic disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness and impaired motor function of the arms and legs.

Previously, medications prescribed for CIDP patients simply treated the person’s symptoms. However, clinical studies for Gamunex indicate the drug actually slows the progression of the disease and helps improve muscle function by modulating the immune system’s response to the inflammation that damages myelin sheaths. For patients, that means increased neurological function and limited peripheral nerve damage.

continued on p. 8


Rx Matters

Although the disease afflicts a small percentage of people, left untreated, CIDP patients require very expensive physical and occupational therapy, orthotic devices and long-term treatment. By actually slowing the progression of the disease, Gamunex therapy should help health plans better control their long-term costs for affected members.

Walgreens-OptionCare’s clinicians are experts at administering therapies such as Gamunex to your members in their homes or other preferred care settings. Contact your Walgreens account represen-tative for more information about all the infusion services we can provide your members.

Specialty Pharmacy and PBM Reports Provide Industry and Company Insight Reports from Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy and Walgreens Health Initiatives which highlight performance and industry trends will be available in May. Both will be distributed by our account representatives and through the mail, but you’ll also be able to download them through WalgreensHealth.com/soi and WalgreensHealth.com/trendreport. Until then, here’s a sneak peak at what you’ll find inside.

Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy Outlook–2009 State of the Industry Report Our Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy State of the Industry Report includes an overview of the current state of the specialty pharmacy industry, as well as detailed analysis of new treatment strategies and medications. This year’s report showcases Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy’s successful results in clinical management and cost-saving strategies surrounding hemophilia, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and oral chemotherapy.

It also provides payors a review of the multiple distribution models available to your organization and how we are well-positioned to provide and administer specialty infused therapies.

Walgreens Health Initiatives Outlook–2009 Trend Report For the fifth consecutive year, Walgreens Health Initiatives delivered a single-digit prescription drug trend. You’ll find more about our PBM’s 2008performance,alongwithanexpertoverviewoftheindustry’s current and forecasted drug trend in Walgreens Health Initiatives Outlook–2009 Trend Report. At Walgreens Health Initiatives, we continually strive to help our clients save money through cost-contain-ment solutions and strategies while at the same time aiming to improve member health through adherence.

FDA Approves Gamunex (continued from p. 7)


The report breaks down our clients’ overall drug spend, as well as the four main components that contribute to changes in prescription medication expenditures—price, utilization, product mix and new medications.

One way Walgreens Health Initiatives helps our clients save money is through ongoing promotion of the use of generics through appropriate plan design, formulary and clinical programs, step care therapy programs and MedMonitor® Complete, a medication therapy management program. High-lights of this year’s case studies include results achieved by clients with varying plan management strategies, direct and indirect cost savings experienced by a client who switched to Walgreens Health Initiatives in search of excellent customer service and member-friendly clinical management options, and other successful results.

“Give 5, Get 5” to Support Women’s Health Awareness During the month of May, Walgreens is working with select vendors to raise awareness and offer preventive information on women’s health to our customers. The Women’s Health “Give 5, Get 5” initiative includes an in-store fundraising campaign to benefit the American Cancer Society (ACS). With the help of our customers and vendors, Walgreens has raised more than $16 million to benefit the ACS over the past 11 years.

Throughout May, customers who donate $1 will receive a “Give 5, Get 5” women’s health booklet filled with healthy savings and wellness tips. Customers who “Give $5” will receive the coupon booklet plus a $5 coupon good on the next purchase of $10 or more of Revlon® products. Approximately 3 million booklets will be dis-tributed at our more than 6,500 retail locations as well as our home care facilities, worksite health centers and Take Care Clinic locations.

Consumers who visit Walgreens.com/give5get5 will be able to “Get 5” important health tips to follow and share with friends. Visitors to the site will also be able to sign up for monthly newsletters and download participating vendor coupons.

Donating Feels Great Thanks to all our customers who helped fight heart disease by participating in our “Donate & Feel Great” campaign for the American Heart Association (AHA) in February. At the time Rx Matters wenttopress,morethan$800,000wasraised,bringingourtotalcontributiontotheAHAoverthepast 11 years to more than $13 million.


Rx Matters

Mark Your Calendar Stop by the Walgreens booth at the following events to learn more about the innovative solutions we can offer our managed care clients:

LaborCare® Health & Benefits FairAcademy of Managed Care

Pharmacy (AMCP) 21st Annual Meeting & Showcase

Spring Distinctively Blue 2009 Conference

April 4, 2009Booth 628

Minneapolis Convention CenterMinneapolis, MN

April 15-18, 2009Booth 804

Gaylord Palms HotelOrlando, FL

April 22-24, 2009 Booth 109

Hyatt RegencyChicago, IL

Rx Drug Update The FDA recently approved the following new medications:

Drug NameCompany/ Availability

Indication(s)Dose Form(s)

RegimenAWP as of March 2009

TriLipixTM (fenofibric acid) delayed release capsules

Novo Abbott

Available 1st quarter 2009

Treatment of high cholesterol

45 mg and 135 mg capsules

One capsule daily $1.44 per 45 mg capsule and $4.30 per 135 mg capsule

ZolpiMistTM (zolpidem) oral spray

NovaDel

Available 2nd quarter 2009

Treatment of insomnia

Oral spray One or two sprays daily

Unavailable

SavellaTM (milnacipran) tablets

Forest

Available 1st quarter 2009

Treatment of the symptoms of fibromyalgia

12.5 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg tablets

One tablet twice daily

Unavailable

New Rx Indications The following medication has been approved by the FDA for new or expanded indications:

Drug Name Original Indication New or Expanded Indication

Reclast® (zoledronic acid) injection

Treatment of Paget’s disease and postmenopausal osteoporosis

Treatment of osteoporosis in men


National Observances Some upcoming health-related observances are listed below to help you plan health fairs and other activities. For more information, log on to the sponsoring organization’s web site. For a listing of this year’s national observances, visit healthfinder.gov.

Observance Date Sponsor, Web Site

National Public Health Week April 6 - 12 American Public Health Association www.nphw.org

World Health Day April 7 World Health Organization www.who.int/world-health-day

Alcohol Awareness Month April SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information ncadi.samhsa.gov

National Autism Awareness Month April Autism Society of America www.autism-society.org

National Women’s Health Week May 10 -16 Office on Women’s Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services www.womenshealth.gov/whw

World No Tobacco Day May 31 World Health Organization www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/en/

American Stroke Month May American Heart Association www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3026377

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month May Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=10&sub=99&cont=457

National Cancer Survivors Day June 7 National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation www.ncsdf.org

National Men’s Health Week June 15 – 21 Men’s Health Network www.menshealthweek.org

Home Safety Month June Home Safety Council www.homesafetycouncil.org/homesafetymonth

Fireworks Safety Month June Prevent Blindness America www.preventblindness.org


Rx Matters

WAG10741-0409

To access Rx Matters online, go to WalgreensHealth.com/mcnewsletter.

For information about Walgreens Health Services, call 866-728-5795 or email [email protected].

Editorial Board

Editor Sharon Tarnoff Designer Claudio Fucarino

Corporate Office 1411 Lake Cook Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015Brand names are the property of their respective owners. Some products and services may not be available in Puerto Rico.This publication does not constitute professional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither Walgreen Co., its subsidiaries or affiliates, nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. If you have a medical question, consult your medical professional.

Articles in Walgreen Co. Rx Matters may be reprinted only by clients of Walgreen Co., or respective agent(s) of clients. Please attach the following statement: Reprinted with permission. ©2009 Walgreen Co. All rights reserved.

References Why Walgreens Should Be Your Nationwide Provider of Flu Immunizations CDC. Prevention and control of influenza: Recommendations of the advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP), 2007. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. July 13, 2007; 56(RR06):1-54.

New COPD Program Helps Your Members Breathe Easier National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Disease and Conditions Index. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Copd/Copd_WhatIs.html. Accessed January 2009.

FDA Approves Gamunex® for CIDP Patients Lewis, RA. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Wayne State University School of Medicine. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1172965-treatment. Accessed January 2009.

Rx Drug Update and New Rx Indications FDA. www.fda.gov/default.htm. Accessed March 2009. American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists®. www.ashp.com/shortage. Accessed March 2009. P&T Community. www.ptcommunity.com. Accessed March 2009. Pharmaceutical News Harvest™. www.internetdrugnews.com. Accessed March 2009. Drugs.com™. www.drugs.com. Accessed March 2009. Pharmacy OneSource®. www.pharmacyonesource.com. Accessed March 2009. Facts and Comparisons on-line 4.0. www.online.factsandcomparisons.com. Accessed March 2009.

Documents

Rx Matters - Walgreens · therapy and advice on how to manage common side effects, such as depression, fatigue, nausea and rashes. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy has also enhanced the