CVS Caremark Research Finds 78 Percent of Consumers Who Qualify for Health Care Reform Subsidies Never Heard of State Insurance Exchanges

WOONSOCKET, R.I., June 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- New CVS Caremark (NYSE:CVS) research has found that 78 percent of consumers who would be eligible for new health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have never heard of the state-based health care exchanges where they will have to shop for coverage beginning in 2014. In addition, 60 percent of respondents said they believe they will need help in understanding health care insurance terms and descriptions and navigating the complex health care system.

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"Despite all the news coverage about health care reform, these survey results clearly show that consumers are confused about the potential changes to our health care system," said Helena Foulkes, CVS Caremark executive vice president and chief health care strategy and marketing officer. "While awareness of the new law may grow over the next year as new services are put in place, consumers need help understanding the coming changes and support on how to sign up and participate in the exchanges."

In addition, the respondents listed doctors as the most credible source for talking about exchanges, followed by pharmacists, nurse practitioners and independent insurance consultants.

"CVS Caremark's tremendous geographic reach across the U.S., our integrated approach to health care and the accessibility of our pharmacists and nurse practitioners – among the most trusted of advisors according to this survey – give us a variety of effective touch points with health care consumers," Foulkes said. "Given our focus on helping people on the path to better health, we expect to play an active role in meeting consumers' needs in an expanding health care system and will be talking with government, health care advocates and other organizations to see how we can be an active participant in providing information and services to these consumers." 

The survey was conducted online and respondents included more than 1,000 consumers; 70 percent of those surveyed currently have no health care coverage and 30 percent are covered by individual insurance policies. The survey did not include people with employer-sponsored insurance, or people currently covered by Medicare or Medicaid.

About CVS Caremark
CVS Caremark is dedicated to helping people on their path to better health as the largest integrated pharmacy company in the United States. Through the company's more than 7,300 CVS/pharmacy stores; its leading pharmacy benefit manager serving more than 60 million plan members; and its retail health clinic system, the largest in the nation with more than 600 MinuteClinic locations, it is a market leader in mail order, retail and specialty pharmacy, retail clinics, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans.  As a pharmacy innovation company with an unmatched breadth of capabilities, CVS Caremark continually strives to improve health and lower costs by developing new approaches such as its unique Pharmacy Advisor program that helps people with chronic diseases such as diabetes obtain and stay on their medications.  Find more information about how CVS Caremark is reinventing pharmacy for better health at info.cvscaremark.com.

Media Contact:
Christine Cramer
CVS Caremark
(401)770 3317
[email protected]

SOURCE CVS Caremark

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