Humana To Partner With Wal-Mart To Promote Medicare Prescription Drug Plans
Kentucky-based Humana on Wednesday announced plans to partner with Wal-Mart to promote Medicare prescription drug plans to beneficiaries, the Louisville Courier-Journal reports. Enrollment in the plans would begin in November, and they would take effect on Jan. 1, 2006, when the new prescription drug benefit begins (Louisville Courier-Journal, 7/14).
Humana will offer the plans in 46 states and Washington, D.C., as well as a co-branded prescription drug card with Wal-Mart and Sam's Club (Humana release, 7/13). From July 18 to July 24, Humana representatives will visit about 500 Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Neighborhood Markets stores -- half of which are located in Florida, Texas and Arizona -- to answer questions about the plans (Dow Jones Newswires, 7/13).
In addition, Humana and Wal-Mart this month will launch a campaign with the help of the Social Security Administration to educate Medicare beneficiaries about the new prescription drug benefit. The campaign will involve all 3,600 Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Neighborhood Market stores nationwide (Humana release, 7/13).
According to Dow Jones, the announcements represent part of an "aggressive marketing campaign by Humana to increase its Medicare business" from 25 to 46 states within the next year, Dow Jones reports. Humana spokesperson Tom Noland said, "This unique opportunity to co-brand and co-market our Medicare prescription drug plan with the world's largest retailer gives us an early advantage in the prescription drug program" (Dow Jones Newswires, 7/13).
Additional information on the Medicare drug benefit is available online.