Medication therapy management programs for Aetna Medicare members

Aetna (NYSE: AET) today announced that members who enroll in its 2010 Medicare plans will have access to enhanced services called medication therapy management (MTM) aimed at helping them safely and effectively take medications prescribed by their physician. MTM, which will be delivered by Mirixa Corporation, brings together pharmacists, patients, physicians and other health care professionals to help patients with their medications.

“We are committed to further improving the health of our members by offering these enhanced MTM services”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have expanded the guidelines in 2010 to lower the qualification threshold and to increase access and level of service for MTM. MTM programs are to include patients with multiple chronic conditions who are expected to spend $3,000 per year on up to eight or more medications. CMS requires that eligible members be offered a medication review. This review may be either face-to-face or through telephonic outreach to patients by a trained professional, as opposed to previous requirements where paper mailings or other types of passive interventions such as interactive voice recognition calls to patients were allowed.

“We are committed to further improving the health of our members by offering these enhanced MTM services,” said Jody Stern, RPh, head of Medicare Clinical Programs for Aetna Pharmacy Management. “It is critical for our members with chronic diseases to have the assistance they need to safely take their medications thereby reducing adverse drug events.”

MTM services will be available to Aetna members in both standalone 2010 Medicare Part D Pharmacy (PDP) benefits plans and comprehensive Medicare Advantage medical benefits plans that include prescription drug coverage. Pharmacists will deliver MTM services using the MirixaPro^sm platform to document and track their patient encounters.

“We applaud Aetna’s commitment to improving the health of their members and we are pleased to be their MTM services provider. We are excited to bring our technology and clinical expertise together to benefit Aetna members,” said Rick Solano, CEO of Mirixa Corporation.