South Carolina DHHS Director Tony Keck Visits Columbia MinuteClinic

COLUMBIA, S.C., April 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- South Carolina's Director of Health and Human Services, Tony Keck, toured the MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinic earlier today inside the CVS/pharmacy store in downtown Columbia on Assembly Street. Andrew Sussman, M.D., president, MinuteClinic and senior vice president/associate chief medical officer, CVS Caremark Corporation, joined him for the tour.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130405/PH89690 )

Director Keck was instrumental in initiating the plan to include MinuteClinic as a provider of care in order to increase access for Medicaid recipients to receive the right service at the right time at the right place. The tour was a confirmation of his decision for South Carolina to be a model in retail health in making medically necessary treatment more accessible and convenient. 

The visit coincided with the announcement that MinuteClinic now accepts all South Carolina Medicaid plans. This includes the state's South Carolina Medicaid plan and four managed care plans: BlueChoice HealthPlan, First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina, Absolute Total Care and WellCare Health Plan.  Beneficiaries can visit any of the 28 MinuteClinic locations in the state seven days a week for episodic care, especially on evenings and weekends when their primary care provider's office may be closed, instead of visiting the emergency room.

"While we urge beneficiaries to call or visit their primary care physician first, we understand that for many of our working parents minor medical treatment may be necessary to access when these offices are closed," said Keck. "Expanding Medicaid Coverage to CVS MinuteClinic adds accessibility and flexibility for our beneficiaries to receive immediate medical treatment, thereby, strengthening our commitment to delivering increasingly high-quality care for our citizens."

"Since opening the first clinic locations in Columbia in 2008, we have expanded MinuteClinic services to include clinics in the Greenville-Spartanburg, Charleston and Myrtle Beach regions," said Sussman. "We share in the vision of Governor Haley's administration to bring more accessible and affordable health care services to the people of South Carolina, and we look forward to adding even more clinics later in 2013." 

MinuteClinic practitioners specialize in family health and can assess, treat and write prescriptions for common illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and respiratory infections. Minor wounds, abrasions, skin conditions and joint sprains are also treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumonia, pertussis and Hepatitis A & B are available at most locations. In addition, MinuteClinics administer a series of wellness services designed to help consumers identify lifestyle changes needed to improve their current and future health, including screenings and monitoring for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

About MinuteClinic
MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail medical clinics in the United States in 2000 and is the largest provider of retail clinics with more than 625 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to patient demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has provided care through more than 15 million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating.  MinuteClinic is the only retail health care provider to receive three consecutive accreditations from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com.

About SCDHHS
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services provides health care benefits to more than 1.1 million South Carolinians. Its mission is to purchase the most health for our citizens in need at the least possible cost to the taxpayer.

SOURCE MinuteClinic