Cardinal Health Launches Online Tool To Help Retail Pharmacies Make It Easier For Patients To Compare Medicare Part D Plans

News provided by

Nov 13, 2014, 08:30 ET

DUBLIN, Ohio, Nov. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- With the window for Medicare enrollment open from mid-October through Dec. 7, Cardinal Health recently launched a new online tool, developed by eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH), that its retail pharmacy customers can use to help their patients compare Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

"As the Medicare population continues to experience unprecedented growth, community pharmacists are ideally suited to help beneficiaries understand their Medicare prescription drug plan options," said Elie Bahou, vice president of Managed Care and Business Development for Cardinal Health. "The new eHealth Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Comparison Tool is specifically designed to help busy pharmacists make it easier for their patients to find the lowest cost drug plan to meet their needs."

In a fraction of the time required by other methods, the eHealth Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Comparison Tool creates a Medicare plan comparison report, customized to each beneficiary.

Here's how it works. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3:

A pharmacist or member of a pharmacy's staff logs on to the tool. The pharmacist or staff member just enters the patient's zip code, medication regimen and dosage. The tool even notifies the user if generic medications are available to further reduce costs for the patient.
Based on the data entered, the site shows the user the three health plans that will save the most money for the patient, outlining the amount of money the patient will save with each plan.
This information is formatted to be easily printed and shared with the patient, so they can contact a licensed agent to enroll in a new plan over the phone.

"This new tool makes it possible for community pharmacists to help their patients compare Medicare Part D plans, in just a matter of minutes," said Bahou. "It's a great way for community pharmacists to build relationships with patients while reinforcing the important role they can play in helping patients navigate the healthcare system and better understand their coverage options."

Cardinal Health provides a comprehensive suite of Managed Care Services to thousands of independent and regional pharmacies – negotiating contracts on their behalf with health insurance plans and pharmacy benefits managers to help them increase prescription volume and gain access to new patients.

The company's Pharmacy Service Administration Organization (PSAO) participates in 13 Part D preferred pharmacy networks that provide additional savings opportunities for Medicare beneficiaries, including the following national Medicare Part D carriers:

Aetna
Cigna-HealthSpring Rx
Coventry
Envision Rx
Express Scripts Medicare
SilverScript

For more information about Cardinal Health's Managed Care Services, visit http://cardinalhealth.com/us/en/community-pharmacy-advantage/ehealth-medicare.

For more information about the eHealth Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Comparison Tool, visit www.ehealthmedicare.com/cardinalhealth.

About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $91 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and physician offices focus on patient care while reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products and services to more than 100,000 locations each day and is also the industry-leading direct-to-home medical supplies distributor. The company is a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company operates the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #22 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs 34,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at www.cardinalhealth.com and @CardinalHealth on Twitter.