Medco
is now the prescription drug benefit manager for NC Health
Choice
(4/05)
--During March, families whose children are enrolled in NC Health Choice received
a packet in the mail explaining the benefit. The following
information was provided in the cover letter:
A new temporary NC Health Choice Insurance
Card, that includes the Medco information, was to be sent in
a separate mailing to each child. Then 90 days later a new
permanent NC Health Choice Insurance Card is to be mailed.
(It was noted that the new permanent ID card would not contain
their child's social security number).
Families were referred to a website
(www.medco.com) to get further information about the plan and access health and wellness information.
Families were encouraged to call a
toll-free number (1-800-336-5933) or visit www.medco.com to find a participating retail pharmacy.
And lastly, families were encouraged
to complete and return the Health & Medication Questionnaire in an enclosed envelope. Medco will use this information
to help protect their children against potentially harmful
drug interactions.
We wanted you to have access to this information
in case you receive calls from families who do not understand
the information they received. From the parent's perspective,
not much has changed, but they do need to replace their child's
insurance card each time a new card arrives and keep the newest
card in their wallet or purse.
For NC Health Choice, it is anticipated that
approximately $8 million will be saved through 2006. The savings
will result from the ability of the new medication manager to
plow savings into the program. The previous medication manager
kept the savings from prescription discounts and used that money
to cover its costs for administering the program. This management
company charges a separate administration fee and returns the
savings to the state.
Designed and maintained by the The North Carolina
Healthy Start Foundation