AmeriHealth Expands Disease Management Program To Benefit Members With Crohn's Disease

AmeriHealth today announced it has added the gastrointestinal disorder known as Crohn's disease to its suite of disease management programs that serves more than 200,000 of its members.

AmeriHealth offers the broadest array of specialized, fully accredited disease management programs in the region. With the expansion of its disease management programs, the company now provides support and educational services to its members and their physicians for 22 chronic conditions.

Crohn's disease is an incurable, chronic disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It most commonly affects the small intestine and colon, although it can involve any area of the GI tract. The cause of the disease is still unknown.

AmeriHealth's Connections(SM) disease management program helps members with Crohn's disease in several ways:

-- Educates members about early symptom awareness, importance of complying with their therapy, and reducing risk factors.

-- Reduces Crohn's disease complications such as infections, fluid and electrolyte imbalance.

-- Prevents certain complications from surgery and recovery period. (About three-fourths of Crohn's disease patients have surgery during the course of the condition and almost half need repeat surgery).

"With Connections, members will find the tools and support to help them make informed health care decisions they feel good about, while strengthening their relationship with their doctors," said Allan Goldstein, MD, vice president and regional medical director at AmeriHealth. "Crohn's disease can be debilitating, but with information and specialized care, members can take control of their condition to take charge of their health and their lives."

AmeriHealth's suite of disease management programs provide support for 22 conditions - five common chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes, offered through an alliance with Health Dialog; end-stage renal disease, in collaboration with RMS Disease Management Services; and 16 complex chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and the recently added Crohn's disease, offered through Accordant Health Services, a Caremark company.

The Connections programs recently received national recognition from the Disease Management Association of America when they were awarded the "2006 Disease Management Leadership Award for Outstanding Health Plan" for innovative program design, successful plan implementation, and outstanding performance in measuring positive, proven health outcomes.

About AmeriHealth

AmeriHealth, Inc., a growing group of health care plans with its base in the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, has grown to more than 265,000 members since its inception in 1995.

AmeriHealth companies have been recognized for their commitment to providing high-quality products. AmeriHealth HMO of New Jersey and Delaware's AmeriHealth HMO have received the highest possible accreditation by the national leader in HMO quality evaluation. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded both HMOs "Excellent" status for meeting its rigorous evaluation standards.

About Accordant Health Services

Accordant Health Services, Inc., a Caremark company, provides health plans and employers with single-source health management solutions that lead to optimal health outcomes and greater satisfaction. A recognized leader in delivering disease management services for complex conditions, Accordant has leveraged the strengths of its disease management protocols with those of Caremark, which brings 10 years of common chronic disease management expertise to the marketplace.

Accordant empowers plan participants to make wise healthcare choices and adhere to their treatment regimens through a comprehensive approach, including disease management, HRA, wellness programs and case management. For more information about Accordant, visit http://www.accordant.net.

About Caremark Rx, Inc.

Caremark Rx, Inc. is a leading pharmaceutical services company, providing through its affiliates comprehensive drug benefit services to health plan sponsors and their plan participants throughout the U.S. The company's clients include corporate health plans, managed care organizations, insurance companies, unions, government agencies and other funded benefit plans. In addition, Caremark is a national provider of drug benefits to eligible beneficiaries under the Medicare Part D program. The company operates a national retail pharmacy network with over 60,000 participating pharmacies, seven mail service pharmacies, the industry's only FDA-regulated repackaging plant and 21 licensed specialty pharmacies for delivery of advanced medications to individuals with chronic or genetic diseases and disorders.

Additional information about Caremark is available at http://www.caremarkrx.com or in the company's Forms 10-K, 10-Q and other SEC filings.

AmeriHealth, Inc.
http://www.accordant.net