CVS Partners with CMS to Broaden Outreach to Low Income Consumers Eligible for Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Company Supports Government's Initiative to Reach Out to Over 8 Million Eligible Individuals by 2006 WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CVS/pharmacy (NYSE: CVS), America's largest retail pharmacy, today announced it has partnered with The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help enroll the over 8 million low income individuals eligible for the government subsidized Medicare prescription drug benefit that takes effect January 1, 2006. CVS will work with CMS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to target low-income seniors and persons with disabilities eligible for this program who will not be automatically enrolled by CMS and the Social Security Administration. CVS will launch outreach programs designed to both enroll these individuals and help educate them about the new Medicare drug program. "We are pleased to partner with CMS to help reach out to those individuals that need this benefit the most. As America's largest retail pharmacy with over 5,400 stores across 36 states, we have interaction with over 4 million customers a day, many of whom are eligible for these significant savings. We will work with CMS to conduct education and enrollment activities, especially in markets where the majority of low-income beneficiaries reside," commented Tom Ryan, Chairman, President and CEO of CVS Corporation. "Seniors place a great deal of trust in their pharmacist, so it's vital that Medicare work with valued partners such as CVS to make sure all Medicare beneficiaries, including those with low incomes, can make the most of the drug coverage coming available in 2006," said CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. About CVS CVS is America's largest retail pharmacy, operating more than 5,400 retail and specialty pharmacy stores in 36 states and the District of Columbia. With more than 40 years of dynamic growth in the retail pharmacy industry, CVS is committed to being the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use. CVS has created innovative approaches to serve the healthcare needs of all customers through its CVS/pharmacy stores; its online pharmacy, CVS.com; and its pharmacy benefit management and specialty pharmacy subsidiary, PharmaCare. General information about CVS is available through the Investor Relations portion of the Company's website, at http://investor.cvs.com/, as well as through the pressroom portion of the Company's website, at http://www.cvs.com/pressroom. CONTACT: Eileen Howard Dunn VP, Corporate Communications CVS/pharmacy 401-770-4561 Todd Andrews Director, Corporate Communications CVS/pharmacy 401-770-5717 DATASOURCE: CVS/pharmacy CONTACT: Eileen Howard Dunn, VP, Corporate Communications, +1-401-770- 4561, or Todd Andrews, Director, Corporate Communications, +1-401-770-5717 both of CVS/pharmacy Web site: http://www.cvs.com/pressroom http://www.cvs.com/

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