business
Walgreens-Express Scripts deal ends lengthy pharmacy standoff
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 30, 2012
After months of inability to reach a new contract agreement, prompting many patients to change pharmacies or drug plans, Walgreens and pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts have reached a new, multiyear agreement.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the two companies’ July 19 announcement said Walgreens would be in-network for Express Scripts members beginning Sept. 15. The two sides’ inability to reach an agreement over prices that Express Scripts members would pay at Walgreens stories meant Walgreens was out of network beginning in January 2012.
Walgreens had filed a lawsuit against Express Scripts in September 2011, claiming Express Scripts was telling customers that Walgreens was going to be out of network even before the standing contract had expired. Walgreens dropped the case in June.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/07/30/bibf0730.htm.
