Award-winning program now supports 22 conditions
MT. LAUREL, N.J., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- AmeriHealth today announced it
has added the gastrointestinal disorder known as Crohn's disease to its
suite of disease management programs that serves more than 200,000 of its
members.
AmeriHealth offers the broadest array of specialized, fully accredited
disease management programs in the region. With the expansion of its
disease management programs, the company now provides support and
educational services to its members and their physicians for 22 chronic
conditions.
Crohn's disease is an incurable, chronic disorder that causes
inflammation of the digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It most
commonly affects the small intestine and colon, although it can involve any
area of the GI tract. The cause of the disease is still unknown.
AmeriHealth's Connections(SM) disease management program helps members
with Crohn's disease in several ways:
-- Educates members about early symptom awareness, importance of
complying with their therapy, and reducing risk factors.
-- Reduces Crohn's disease complications such as infections, fluid and
electrolyte imbalance.
-- Prevents certain complications from surgery and recovery period.
(About three-fourths of Crohn's disease patients have surgery during
the course of the condition and almost half need repeat surgery).
"With Connections, members will find the tools and support to help them
make informed health care decisions they feel good about, while
strengthening their relationship with their doctors," said Allan Goldstein,
MD, vice president and regional medical director at AmeriHealth. "Crohn's
disease can be debilitating, but with information and specialized care,
members can take control of their condition to take charge of their health
and their lives."
AmeriHealth's suite of disease management programs provide support for
22 conditions - five common chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes,
offered through an alliance with Health Dialog; end-stage renal disease, in
collaboration with RMS Disease Management Services; and 16 complex chronic
diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and the recently
added Crohn's disease, offered through Accordant Health Services, a
Caremark company.
The Connections programs recently received national recognition from
the Disease Management Association of America when they were awarded the
"2006 Disease Management Leadership Award for Outstanding Health Plan" for
innovative program design, successful plan implementation, and outstanding
performance in measuring positive, proven health outcomes.
About AmeriHealth
AmeriHealth, Inc., a growing group of health care plans with its base
in the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, has grown to more
than 265,000 members since its inception in 1995.
AmeriHealth companies have been recognized for their commitment to
providing high-quality products. AmeriHealth HMO of New Jersey and
Delaware's AmeriHealth HMO have received the highest possible accreditation
by the national leader in HMO quality evaluation. The National Committee
for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded both HMOs "Excellent" status for
meeting its rigorous evaluation standards.
About Accordant Health Services
Accordant Health Services, Inc., a Caremark company, provides health
plans and employers with single-source health management solutions that
lead to optimal health outcomes and greater satisfaction. A recognized
leader in delivering disease management services for complex conditions,
Accordant has leveraged the strengths of its disease management protocols
with those of Caremark, which brings 10 years of common chronic disease
management expertise to the marketplace.
Accordant empowers plan participants to make wise healthcare choices
and adhere to their treatment regimens through a comprehensive approach,
including disease management, HRA, wellness programs and case management.
For more information about Accordant, visit http://www.accordant.net or
call 1-800-948- 2497.
About Caremark Rx, Inc.
Caremark Rx, Inc. is a leading pharmaceutical services company,
providing through its affiliates comprehensive drug benefit services to
health plan sponsors and their plan participants throughout the U.S. The
company's clients include corporate health plans, managed care
organizations, insurance companies, unions, government agencies and other
funded benefit plans. In addition, Caremark is a national provider of drug
benefits to eligible beneficiaries under the Medicare Part D program. The
company operates a national retail pharmacy network with over 60,000
participating pharmacies, seven mail service pharmacies, the industry's
only FDA-regulated repackaging plant and 21 licensed specialty pharmacies
for delivery of advanced medications to individuals with chronic or genetic
diseases and disorders.
Additional information about Caremark is available at
http://www.caremarkrx.com or in the company's Forms 10-K, 10-Q and other
SEC filings.
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