UnitedHealth Partners With AARP To Offer Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
UnitedHealth on Monday announced that it has agreed to partner with AARP to offer an AARP-branded prescription drug plan when the Medicare drug benefit begins in 2006, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The agreement extends an existing relationship between AARP and Ovations, the division of UnitedHealth that targets older U.S. residents. The drug plan agreement also is likely to enhance UnitedHealth's partnership announced in March with Walgreen. Under that agreement, Ovations and Walgreen will jointly administer Part D prescription benefits. Ovations has a request pending with CMS to provide Medicare Part D services to beneficiaries in all 50 states (Phelps, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 6/7).
Stark Criticizes Plan
Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) on Tuesday criticized AARP's deal with UnitedHealth, the Los Angeles Times reports. Stark said in a statement that AARP's announcement confirms "what we predicted when they first threw their weight behind the Medicare drug bill in 2003. They did so to improve their bottom line, not to help the 35 million seniors they claim to represent" (Alonso-Zaldivar, Los Angeles Times, 6/8). Stark added, "It's one thing to act in self-interest as a profit-making insurer, it's another entirely to leverage a trusting membership of America's seniors to pass legislation that you know will do little more than line your own pocket." However, AARP spokesperson Lisa Davis said the group supported the Medicare drug bill "for one reason and one reason only -- people are hurting and needed help" (CQ HealthBeat, 6/7). Davis said, "We are going to continue doing what is right for our members and their families. Our policy decisions drive what we do on the product side, and not the other way around" (Los Angeles Times, 6/8).
