Medco, Healthways Launch Center for Health Action to Deliver Optimal Health(TM)

SAN ANTONIO, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
(NYSE: MHS), the nation's leading pharmacy benefit manager, and Healthways
(Nasdaq: HWAY), the industry-leading provider of Health and Care(SM) support
services, today announced the opening of an innovative new center that will
provide personalized support and advocacy services to patients managing health
risks and chronic conditions. The Medco Center for Health Action, created in
collaboration with Healthways, is uniquely positioned to help people make
sustainable lifestyle changes for healthier living.
The Medco Center for Health Action will be staffed by more than 200
employees at capacity and will house both Medco and Healthways colleagues
organized into Health Action Teams consisting of nurses, specialist
pharmacists, health coaches, benefit specialists and other health specialists.
These teams collaborate to deliver superior advocacy and support services
early in the management of a chronic illness, and offer behavior management
strategies related to lifestyle issues and health risks such as weight
management or tobacco use.
"Two years ago, Medco and Healthways formed an alliance to provide an
enhanced member experience called Optimal Health(TM), which combines Medco's
advanced pharmacy care model and therapy expertise with Healthways' unique
approach to health management to provide our clients a more robust service
offering," said Kenneth Klepper, president and chief operating officer, Medco.
"This Center takes Optimal Health to the next level by bringing specialists
together in one center to collaborate on behalf of each member's personal
needs, thus providing a more comprehensive, coordinated and impactful
experience for the member."
Members managing a health risk or a chronic condition, such as asthma or
diabetes, who are enrolled in Optimal Health and require coaching or
counseling are assigned to a Health Action Team who collaborate to help them
better understand their condition and provide them with support to make
sustainable behavior and lifestyle changes so their condition is managed
optimally. Having a diverse team made up of nurses, specialist pharmacists,
pharmacy benefit specialists and health coaches provides members with a
well-rounded experience that touches all components necessary for successful
management of their condition, from using medications properly to changing
their diet to beginning an exercise program.
"Our fractured health care system demands innovative ways to manage the
entire spectrum of health needs of individuals and populations. This
collaboration between Healthways and Medco is a huge step in the right
direction -- offering comprehensive health solutions while reducing overall
health care costs," said Ben Leedle, president and CEO of Healthways. "Access
to specialist pharmacists with real-time health and pharmaceutical
information, paired with Healthways' systems of nurses and health care
coaches, is going to make a real difference in people's health and well
being."
Using advanced technology, the Health Action Teams are provided with a
member's pharmacy, medical and laboratory histories (in accordance with
applicable privacy regulations), which allows them to provide enhanced and
more personalized services, and identify earlier opportunities to improve the
member's health. Leveraging Medco's role as the primary pharmacy provider and
its thousands of touch points with members and physicians, Health Action Teams
are able to engage members faster and at a time when they are most receptive
to coaching -- at the time of diagnosis, during a change in treatment, or when
the member is already talking to a Medco pharmacist about his or her
medications.
"These are real human connections going on between our Health Action Teams
and our members every day on the phone, but those interactions are driven by a
deep and innovative technology that allows each call to be the most effective,
efficient intervention that it can be," said Stephen Grant, vice president of
operations, at the new Medco Center for Health Action. "The technology built
into the infrastructure with our members truly is an industry differentiator
and a big part of what will define our success."
Great Health Begins in San Antonio
Medco and Healthways selected San Antonio to be the home of the Medco
Center for Health Action because of its robust population of health care
specialists. The Center, located in the Tech Ridge I business complex on
Silicon Drive in the north central area, began limited operations in February
2008, and became fully operational in March 2008.
"Due to the unique nature of our work in the Medco Center for Health
Action, we needed to select a location that would provide us with a talented
workforce. Of all of the cities we considered, San Antonio's personality,
business-friendly environment and talented health care workforce provided the
perfect environment for this Center, which is so focused on wellness and
healthy lifestyles," Klepper said.
"The Medco Center for Health Action is a great addition to San Antonio's
health care and bioscience industry, and is another example of a strong,
quality business recognizing the benefits of operating from this location,"
said Randall Cain, Chairman of the Board of the San Antonio Economic
Development Foundation and Managing Partner of Ernst & Young San Antonio. "We
are always looking for ways to attract high quality employment opportunities
to San Antonio and are pleased to welcome great health care partners."
About Healthways
Healthways is the leading provider of specialized, comprehensive Health
and Care Support(SM) solutions to help millions of people maintain or improve
their health and, as a result, reduce overall health care costs. Healthways'
solutions are designed to help healthy individuals stay healthy, mitigate and
slow the progression of disease associated with family or lifestyle risk
factors and promote the best possible health for those already affected by
disease. Our proven, evidence-based programs provide highly specific and
personalized interventions for each individual in a population, irrespective
of age or health status, and are delivered to consumers by phone, mail,
internet and face-to-face interactions, both domestically and internationally.
Healthways also provides a national, fully accredited complementary and
alternative Health Provider Network, offering convenient access to individuals
who seek health services outside of, and in conjunction with, the traditional
health care system. For more information, please visit www.healthways.com.
About Medco
Medco Health Solutions, Inc., (NYSE: MHS) is the nation's leading pharmacy
benefit manager based on its 2007 total net revenues of more than $44 billion.
Medco's prescription drug benefit programs, covering approximately one in five
Americans, are designed to drive down the cost of pharmacy health care for
private and public employers, health plans, labor unions and government
agencies of all sizes, and for individuals served by the Medicare Part D
Prescription Drug Program and those served by its specialty pharmacy segment,
Accredo Health Group. Medco, the world's most advanced pharmacy(TM), is
positioned to serve the unique needs of patients with chronic and complex
conditions through its Medco Therapeutic Resource Centers(R), including its
enhanced diabetes pharmacy care practice through the Liberty acquisition.
Medco is the highest-ranked independent pharmacy benefit manager on the 2008
Fortune 100 list. On the Net: http://www.medco.com.
SOURCE Medco Health Solutions, Inc.

Ann Smith of Medco Health Solutions, +1-201-269-5984, or cell,
+1-201-675-3709, or ann_smith@medco.com; or Melissa Gibbs of Healthways,
+1-615-614-4466, or cell, +1-615-495-4681, or Melissa.Gibbs@healthways.com