Walgreens Health Initiatives Receives Top Honors in Independent Survey.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Wilson Health Information, LLC, an independent healthcare consumer research firm based in New Hope, Pa., named Walgreens Health Initiatives the highest rated pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) nationally in overall member satisfaction. Eighteen major PBMs were evaluated in the 2007 WilsonRx([R]) PBM Member Satisfaction Survey.

The 2007 mail survey, the largest of its kind, is based on responses from 28,855 PBM members in January 2007. PBMs were evaluated on a number of key service categories, including the coordination of care between PBM, health plan, pharmacy and physician; easy-to-understand benefit and coverage information; out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications; PBM representatives' ability to answer questions, solve problems and understand health conditions; and the likelihood of recommending the current pharmacy benefit plan to a friend or relative. More information is available at www.wilsonrx.com or by e-mailing [e-mail].

"Effective pharmacy benefit management is becoming increasingly more challenging, given the increases in prescription drug prices, higher co-pays and increased demand from today's consumer for improved services," said third-generation pharmacist Jim Wilson, president of Wilson Health Information. "We are honored to recognize Walgreens Health Initiatives in this year's study. They have clearly risen to the challenge of meeting the needs of the member."

"We take pride in this national recognition of our ability to balance plan savings and member satisfaction," said Kermit Crawford, Walgreens Health Initiatives executive vice president, PBM Services. "It's what we specialize in for 6 million covered lives nationwide, one life at a time. Our commitment to minimizing our clients' costs has always gone hand-in-hand with the patient-first focus of all our cost-containment strategies."

Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc., is a pharmacy benefit manager serving nearly 6 million covered lives nationwide. It is one of three PBMs to achieve certification every year since the inception of the certification program by HR Policy Association, a public policy organization of senior human resources executives of the largest employers in the United States. Walgreens Health Initiatives, with a national network of more than 63,000 pharmacies, is known for its commitment to client and member service and its focus on clinical programs that promote patient-first healthcare as well as cost-containment. Walgreens Health Initiatives is a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2006 sales of $47.4 billion.

Walgreens operates 5,850 stores in 48 states and Puerto Rico, including 77 Happy Harry's stores in Delaware and surrounding states. Walgreens is expanding its patient-first health care services beyond traditional pharmacy through Walgreens Health Services, its managed care division, and Take Care Health Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary that manages convenient care clinics inside drugstores. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy.