Medi-Cal Members Reduce Potential for Medication Error with Innovative Program

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine having to face the daily struggle of taking six or more different medications a day to manage a chronic health condition; add to this the worry of missing or taking a dose incorrectly. For Anthem Blue Cross (Anthem) Medi-Cal members, that daily struggle will now be simplified to help increase medication adherence and reduce medication errors.

Anthem will now offer Medi-Cal members the opportunity to enroll in the DailyMed™ Pharmacy program. This new program, a first in California, eliminates the guesswork when taking complex or multiple prescriptions by providing members with a 30-day supply of their medications, delivered to their homes, in pre-sorted packets marked with the day, date and time the medications should be taken.

In addition, because individuals who take more medications can find it difficult to adhere to their medication regimens, members will benefit from a team of DailyMed pharmacists who will provide coordinated care and phone consultations to closely monitor the safety, efficacy and compliance of their medication therapy.  

"For many of our members, their medication regimens are critical to help stay healthy and enjoy a better quality of life, yet we know some regimens can be very complex and hard to understand, and that can lead to missing doses or even misusing medications," said Kevin Hayden, president of Anthem's State Sponsored Business. "It is well-documented that better adherence to treatment guidelines and medication compliance keeps members healthier for a much longer period of time, while reducing hospitalizations and other health care related costs. This program has the potential to significantly change the way our members approach their medication therapy."

The DailyMed Pharmacy program will also complement and enhance a variety of disease management programs already offered by Anthem for Medi-Cal members to help manage an array of health conditions, including asthma and diabetes.  

Recent data indicates that medication-related problems cost our health care system $177.4 billion a year. Hayden added, "With California facing a serious budget deficit and an increased need for Medi-Cal spending, we are providing solutions that help to achieve higher quality standards and manage the cost of care for Medi-Cal members, while helping to improve their health outcomes."

Anthem is offering DailyMed through an agreement with Arcadia HealthCare under its proprietary DailyMed program.

"Our agreement with Anthem Blue Cross is an important validation of DailyMed and our unique model of helping patients and payers alike manage their prescriptions correctly, safely and more affordably," said Marvin R. Richardson, president and CEO of Arcadia.  "We are excited to introduce DailyMed to Anthem's Medi-Cal members and believe the result will be to help improve member care and lower health care costs by more effectively managing chronic medication utilization and reducing unnecessary hospitalizations for their members."

The DailyMed program is free to Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal members. Members can call (866) 720-9855 to receive more information and enroll in the program.

About Anthem Blue Cross

Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California.  Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.  The Blue Cross names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross Association.

About Arcadia HealthCare

Arcadia HealthCare is a service mark of Arcadia Resources, Inc. (NYSE Amex: KAD), and is a leading provider of home care, medical staffing and pharmacy services under its proprietary DailyMed program.  The Company, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, has 65 locations in 20 states. Arcadia  HealthCare's comprehensive solutions and business strategies support the Company's vision of "Keeping  People at Home and Healthier Longer."

DailyMed™ Pharmacy dispenses a monthly cycle of a patient's prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and vitamins, and organizes them into pre-sorted packets clearly marked with the date and time the medications should be taken. In the dispensing process, a DailyMed pharmacist reviews each patient's medication profile and utilizes state-of-the-art medication therapy management tools in order to improve the safety and efficacy of the medications being dispensed. A DailyMed pharmacist provides routine communication with the patient, the primary care physician, caregivers and payers in order to maximize the pharmaceutical care administered. The DailyMed program improves patient care and drug utilization while reducing drug and hospitalization costs for private and government payers.

SOURCE Anthem Blue Cross