Michigan AG Cox Announces Settlement; Funds Will Promote Michigan Drug Cost Website

August 11, 2008 -- LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox today announced that funds from a settlement with the pharmacy benefits management company, Caremark, will be used to promote Michigan's drug cost website, www.michigandrugprices.com. Michigan was part of a 28 state settlement with Caremark.

Caremark engaged in deceptive business practices by encouraging doctors to switch patients to different brand name prescription drugs and representing that the patients and/or health plans would save money. Doctors were not adequately informed of the effect this switch would have on costs to patients and health plans.

According to the settlement language, the funds are to be used "with the express condition that the funds be used to benefit low income, disabled, or elderly consumers of prescription medications, to promote lower drug costs for residents of that State, to educate consumers concerning the cost differences among medications."

"One of the best ways to protect consumers is to help them save money," said Cox. "This unique settlement will help thousands of Michigan residents save money on prescriptions drugs."

Famous Detroit Tiger Al Kaline and Cox teamed up to promote the website, launching several radio advertisements that will air state-wide starting today through the end of October.

Last summer, legendary hall-of-fame announcer Ernie Harwell and Cox teamed up to promote the site, producing dramatic increases in website usage:

* During the three month media campaign in 2007, the drug cost website received more than 480,000 hits, a five-fold increase from the same period in 2006.
* According to undercover survey's performed by the Attorney General's office, by using the website, the average prescription drug savings is $77.63.
* As a result of the 2007 media campaign to increase traffic to www.michigandrugprices.com, an estimated $37.8 million was saved by consumers using the drug cost website.

Cox first called for the creation of a drug cost website in 2004. In 2006, the Michigan Department of Community Health finally launched an expanded drug cost website, allowing consumers to easily search the site for the lowest cost of each drug by zip code.

For more information please visit www.michigandrugprices.com.

Source: Michigan Attorney General

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