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Issue 12-07-2015

Walmart taps Riedl to run health, wellness

Walmart taps Riedl to run health, wellness

Former longtime Walgreens executive George Riedl has been named president of health and wellness at Walmart. He succeeds Labeed Diab, who left Walmart to join Brookdale Senior Living Inc. as chief operating officer. Riedl most recently was president of Advanced Marketing & Sales Inc.

Affordable Care Act encounters new headwinds

Affordable Care Act encounters new headwinds

UnitedHealth Group Inc. may pull out of Affordable Care Act health insurance exchanges in 2017 after losing what it said were hundreds of millions of dollars on policies sold under the law.

Health care spending outpaces economy

Health care spending outpaces economy

Health care spending in the United States last year exceeded $3 trillion as five years of slow growth was replaced by the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid and private health insurance coverage. Prescription drug prices accelerated as well.

Pfizer-Allergan deal is expected to stand

Pfizer-Allergan deal is expected to stand

Despite widespread criticism over the issue of tax inversions, legal experts say that current regulatory restrictions in the United States are unlikely to block the $160 billion merger deal announced by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Ireland-based drug manufacturer Allergan Inc.

Generics resonate with consumers

Americans prefer generic drugs to brands for both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, according to a new Harris Poll. Among those who purchase prescription drugs for themselves, nearly seven in 10 (69%) say, given a choice, they would opt for generics more often.

Chawla exits Walgreens to become Kohl’s COO

Sona Chawla has left Walgreens to join Kohl’s Corp. as chief operating officer, a new position. She reports to chairman, president and chief executive officer Kevin Mansell. Chawla, who had been president of digital and chief marketing officer at Walgreens, joined Kohl’s at the end of last month.

AmerisourceBergen gives Collis bigger role

AmerisourceBergen Corp. announced last month that Steve Collis, the company’s chief executive officer, will succeed company chairman Richard Gozon next year. The company has also adopted measures to make it easier for certain shareholders to nominate directors to the board.

Shoppers Drug Mart launches more beautyBOUTIQUEs

Shoppers Drug Mart launches more beautyBOUTIQUEs

Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) has debuted its sixth and seventh enhanced beautyBOUTIQUE store-within-a-stores in Ottawa and Montreal. The Ottawa boutique was unveiled at a store in the Rideau Centre. The Montreal boutique, named galerieBEAUTÉ, was unveiled in a Pharmaprix unit on Rue Sainte-Catherine.

CVS deploys digital tools to support patient health

CVS Health announced a suite of new digital tools last month aimed at helping customers manage their health with more ease and efficiency. The company noted that the new digital tools were developed specifically to address issues facing CVS Health customers.

Albertsons buys back 33 stores

As Albertsons weighs staging an initial public offering it had originally planned for October, it is expanding with the purchase of 33 stores it had been forced last year to divest.

Free Rx program is expanded by Publix

Publix Supermarkets Inc. is offering free 90-day supplies of metformin, lisinopril and amlodipine to pharmacy customers with a prescription for the medications. Previously, 30-day supplies of the medications were offered with a prescription.

Questions abound as ’15 draws to a close

Questions abound as ’15 draws to a close

and very little was as it had been a year ago. Many of the same familiar faces were on hand, and several of the same retail companies attended. But the yearlong series of events that have