Kevin Host is intent on unlocking the full potential of community pharmacy and doing so in a way that aligns with the principles that have always guided Walmart. Decades ago, company founder Sam Walton recognized that accessibility, cost and quality were central issues in the U.S. health care system, and they remain so today.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has long relied on steady, collaborative leadership to advance the priorities of pharmacy retailers, a dynamic that has been especially evident in the push for PBM reform. The following profiles highlight four executives who have played pivotal roles in that effort — current chairman Rick Gates, his predecessors Kevin Host and Mike Wysong, and incoming chairman Dave Warner — each contributing to the association’s ongoing momentum.
Jeffrey Woldt
“Our objective is to make sure that our promise of helping people live better comes to life in the form of everyday health and care in the communities we serve,” Host said. “In a lot of ways, people still depend on their pharmacy and their pharmacist to get answers to questions about their well-being. Even though people today have access to a lot of information on the internet — and increasingly in the form of AI — there’s still that unique trust that customers have with their pharmacists and their pharmacy teams.
“Walmart doesn’t want to just be a destination for illness or sickness. We want to be the destination for health and wellness, and we want our pharmacists to be thought of in that way. That’s the big vision.”
The company serves more than 140 million customers in this country every week, making its 4,600 stores a convenient resource for consumers seeking products and services that support their everyday health and well-being. Walmart already is the third-largest dispenser of prescription drugs and one of the largest retailers of over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements in the U.S. Host sees the next step as securing regulatory changes that enable pharmacists to practice at the top of their license.
“We would love to see our pharmacists recognized as mid-level practitioners,” he explained. “They have the ability and the education to do that. There aren’t enough primary care doctors to go around, and we’re even seeing shortages in specialties now.
“So one of our priorities is working with the federal government and the states to ensure that all patients have access to the care they need, which is a particularly acute problem in many rural areas. Every state is going to approach it a little bit differently, but we’re trying to help formulate the solution.”
Host is encouraged by the ongoing dialogue at both the federal and state levels around improving access to care and reducing barriers for patients.
“Throughout my career in pharmacy, I’ve just been a dog on a bone with these issues,” said Host, who served as NACDS chairman in 2024-2025 and remains on the board of directors. “In my time visiting Washington, D.C., I’ve never seen as much bipartisan support as we have for both PBM reform and recognizing pharmacists as providers under Medicare. As the problem of accessibility to quality care becomes more acute for more Americans, that constituency is going to grow.
“Lawmakers in D.C. understand that we can be part of the solution. It’s just a matter of time before we find the right legislative vehicles to attach pro-pharmacy measures to and get them enacted.”
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