Merck-Medco Managed Care, L.L.C. manages pharmaceutical care for millions of Americans covered by employer-sponsored health care plans, major insurance carrier plans, labor unions, public sector programs and managed care plans. In fact, one in every five Americans is eligible to receive benefits through plans managed by Merck-Medco.
Merck-Medco emphasizes the concept and value of integrated care, which looks at plan members from an overall health perspective rather than in terms of individual prescription transactions. Quality of service is a critical component of our achievements in the marketplace.
Although Merck-Medco's services ultimately benefit plan members and health care providers, our primary client base is comprised of institutions that contract for pharmacy benefit management and health management programs.
A Leading U.S. Pharmacy Benefits Manager
Corporate Culture
In the 1980s, Merck-Medco expanded its traditional pharmacy benefit management business line -- consisting of prescription claims processing and mail service -- into the arena of health and utilization management. Our pioneering drug utilization management programs involve the creation of patient, physician and pharmacy databases. By compiling our transaction information, Merck-Medco made it possible for health care providers to easily access data vital to maintaining high standards of care while controlling plan costs. Merck-Medco's health management services were developed in the 1990s to educate patients and health care providers on how to optimize care quality, outcomes and cost-effectiveness when dealing with chronic conditions.
In 1997, Merck-Medco processed nearly $12 billion in prescription transactions. With more than 2,000 clients, we manage about 300 million prescriptions annually, including approximately 51 million through our mail service and the remainder through our network of 55,000 affiliated pharmacies.
Merck-Medco is a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. However, we operate independently with a unique corporate culture that is largely based on our entrepreneurial history. Our continuing success in the competitive managed care industry is due in part to our ability to respond rapidly to client needs and market opportunities. To retain our leadership position within these challenging constraints, we operate as a results-oriented, idea-driven company where individuals are highly visible -- usually within the context of project teams -- and where one person's talent can significantly contribute to Merck-Medco's growth. In short, we offer a professional environment where individuals can pursue excellence and innovation, supported by a strong corporate resource base.