Rite Aid, UnitedHealth Group offer diabetes services to Long Island, N.Y., residents

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid pharmacists on Long Island in New York state are participating in a diabetes initiative run by health insurer UnitedHealth Group, the two companies said Thursday.

The pharmacists are part of the Diabetes Control Program, itself part of UnitedHealth's Diabetes Prevention and Control Alliance. The program is available to residents of the island enrolled in UnitedHealthcare's employer-sponsored health plans.

"Rite Aid's relationship with the Diabetes Prevention and Control Alliance is an important step to show our patients with diabetes that they aren't alone when it come to managing their diabetes," Rite Aid EVP pharmacy Robert Thompson said. "Thanks to this innovative collaboration, Long Island patients enrolled in the Diabetes Control Program can now receive one-on-one counseling with a Rite Aid pharmacist specifically trained in diabetes care and medication therapy management - all at no additional out-of-pocket cost."

Patients enrolled in the program will be able to connect with Rite Aid pharmacists trained in diabetes care and medication therapy management, who will offer private, one-on-one consultations, education and support. They will also consult with enrolled patients to evaluate their success adhering to their drug therapies and review their test results for blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol.

The service will be available at 27 Rite Aid stores on the island. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that Long Island's largely suburban Suffolk and Nassau counties are home to more than 170,000 people with diabetes.

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