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Inside This Issue - News
In one fell swoop, the pharmacy benefits market is changing in a big way. The proposed merger of pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions is expected to face close scrutiny from antitrust regulators because the combined company would have leverage over about a third of U.S. prescriptions filled. Walgreen Co. has launched a letter-writing campaign to benefits consultants that outlines the reasons it likely won’t be part of Express Scripts Inc.’s pharmacy provider network after December 31. Executives from some of the largest mass-market retailers vowed at a White House ceremony to open or expand 1,500 stores in communities designated as “food deserts” because of limited access to nutritious food. Given the high stakes, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores made sure that pharmacy’s voice was heard in the wrangling over the nation’s debt ceiling and its members were prepared in the event that no deal was reached. Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy Inc. founder Barry Perzow is retiring from his position as chairman. Electric vehicle charging stations are expected to be available by the end of the year at about 800 Walgreen Co. stores across the country, which the drug chain says will make it the nation’s largest retail host of such sites. Rite Aid Corp. is stocking its stores nationwide with values on many essential back-to-school supplies in anticipation of a shopping season that the National Retail Federation says will bring more bargain hunters to drug stores. Ritzman Pharmacies Inc. and Buehler Food Markets Inc. are negotiating a deal under which
Ritzman would own and operate the supermarket chain’s pharmacies. The at-home diagnostics category is exploding.
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