UPDATE: A Medco spokesman now says the company expects to keep on 35 to 50 of the IntelliCare employees. About half now work remotely and the other half work in South Portland, but all will work remotely in the future, according to Rob Marzulli.

SOUTH PORTLAND -- IntelliCare Inc., a telemedicine company, will be closing down by the end of February, according to its parent company.

About 250 people will lose their jobs, including about 150 who work remotely from their homes, according to Ann Smith, a spokeswoman for Medco Health Solutions, a New Jersey-based pharmacy benefit manager.

IntelliCare works with health care facilities across the country. Its nurses communicate directly with patients. The company was founded in 1997.

Smith said IntelliCare did not fit into the long-range business plans of Medco. IntelliCare was acquired by Medco when it bought PolyMedica Corp. in October 2007. PolyMedica had been acquired by IntelliCare two years earlier.

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