Pharmacy Care Alliance

Pharmacy Care Alliance was a non-profit joint venture established by the National Association of Chain Drugstores (NACDS) and Express Scripts (now part of Cigna) to provide a Medicare-endorsed prescription drug discount card. Formed in response to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, the alliance offered the "Pharmacy Care One Card" to help seniors access discounted medications and manufacturer assistance programs. The entity operated as a transitional solution to provide immediate relief on drug costs before the full implementation of Medicare Part D in 2006. During its operation, it managed a vast network of retail pharmacies and negotiated rebates with pharmaceutical manufacturers. The program and the alliance's primary operations concluded in May 2006.