Video: CVS/pharmacy and National Council on Aging Help Seniors Get the Cost-Saving...

Video: CVS/pharmacy and National Council on Aging Help Seniors Get the
Cost-Saving Benefits they Need

BenefitsCheckUp.org/cvs offers resources to help defray cost of health care,
utilities, meals and more; Pharmacists counsel on ways to save on medication

WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The economic downturn continues to
challenge Americans, with seniors perhaps being hit the hardest by dwindling
retirement funds, loss in home value and rising health care costs. And with
eight out of 10 older Americans suffering from at least one chronic health
condition, the monthly cost of prescriptions and over the counter medication
can be significant.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/cvs/38297/

In an effort to help seniors manage monthly expenses and encourage medication
adherence, CVS/pharmacy and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) are offering
a way for those with limited income to get the benefits they deserve through
federal, state, local and private benefit programs, including prescription
coverage. CVS pharmacists are also working to educate patients on ways to
lower their health care costs.

Together CVS/pharmacy and NCOA are promoting BenefitsCheckUp(R), a free
comprehensive online service that allows seniors aged 55 and over to determine
if they qualify for over 2,000 benefit programs across 50 states. To date,
BenefitsCheckUp has helped more than two million seniors find more than $7
billion worth of annual benefits. BenefitsCheckUp can be accessed through
www.BenefitsCheckUp.org/cvs.

"For many older Americans, fixed incomes aren't going as far as they once did,
making them particularly vulnerable in this economy," says Wendy Zenker, vice
president of Benefits Access at NCOA. "Yet millions of dollars in benefits go
unclaimed by seniors each year because seniors simply do not know about them."

Some seniors are also unaware of ways to save on their medication, with some
skipping doses or splitting pills as a way to cut costs. "Not taking your
medication as prescribed can put your health at risk and can cost more in the
long run," cautions Papatya Tankut, vice president of pharmacy services at
CVS/pharmacy. "There are simple yet significant ways to lower the cost of your
medication, like switching to a generic alternative."

Generic substitutes are available for many maintenance medications such as
those commonly prescribed for seniors with high blood pressure or cholesterol.
Generics are safe, effective alternatives and are approved by the FDA. Both
prescription and over the counter medications are available in generic form.

For a full personal review of medications to identify other ways to save,
seniors can meet one-on-one with their local CVS/pharmacy pharmacist.

About CVS/pharmacy
CVS/pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), is
America's largest retail pharmacy. The Company operates more than 6,900
CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drugs stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to improving
the lives of those we serve by making innovative and high-quality health and
pharmacy services safe, affordable and easy to access, both in its stores and
online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is
available at www.cvscaremark.com.

About the National Council on Aging
The National Council on Aging is a non-profit service and advocacy
organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for
older Americans - especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged - and
the community organizations that serve them. It brings together non-profit
organizations, businesses and government to develop creative solutions that
improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of
organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits,
improve their health, live independently and remain active in their
communities. For more information, visit www.ncoa.org.

SOURCE CVS/pharmacy

Carolyn Castel of CVS/pharmacy, ccastel@cvs.com, +1-401-770-5717; or Kelly
Kass of Weber Shandwick, kkass@webershandwick.com, +1-617-520-7274; or
Samantha Winter of National Council on Aging, samantha.winter@ncoa.org,
+1-202-479-6633