Content about Express Scripts

Walgreens just took another leap forward in its drive to become America’s “first choice for health and daily living” and “a centerpiece in improving patients’ overall health.”

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday posted April sales of $5.8 billion, a decrease of 3.7% as compared with the same month in fiscal year 2011.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — If you have a glass-half-full perspective, then the court's ruling to deny the proposed preliminary injunction to the Express Scripts-Medco marriage means none of this is over. The case still stands. However, the court has deferred the decision on the plaintiffs' motion seeking a permanent injunction until after the court decides on ESI's motion to dismiss the case altogether. That may mean a decision on that motion could come sooner than later, considering the plaintiffs requested an expedited discovery schedule with the first motion.

PITTSBURGH — The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday denied a preliminary injunction filed by pharmacy trade groups in an effort to block the merger between pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Medco.

PITTSBURGH — The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on Wednesday accepted an amici curiae from the Consumer Federation of America, the National Consumers League, the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices and U.S. PIRG (a federation of 28 nonprofit, nonpartisan state Public Interest Research Groups) on behalf of retail pharmacy plaintiffs in their suit to dismantle the Express Scripts-Medco merger.

ST. LOUIS — Workers' compensation pharmacy costs took on an extra $2.1 billion in 2011 due to unnecessary use of more expensive drugs, according to a new report by pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts.

Given all the attention around the hotly contested Express Scripts-Medco merger, Drug Store News thought we’d ask our C2B consumer reporters, if all things were equal and every pharmacy accepted their insurance, what would be the most important factors in choosing a pharmacy? Ninety-four percent said location/convenience, followed by customer service (50%). That's just a taste of what they told us.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Despite running fewer stores, Rite Aid grew its sales and narrowed its losses during the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2012, thanks to a boost in its loyalty card program membership, a longer fiscal year and the continuing dispute between Walgreens and Express Scripts.

NEW YORK — Pharmacies hoping to block the merger between pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions got their day in court Tuesday, according to published reports.

Bloomberg reported that a hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania began in Pittsburgh, with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association and several independent pharmacies hoping to stop the $29.1 billion merger, which the Federal Trade Commission approved last week.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — You can't uncrack an egg. That's the preliminary reply Express Scripts gave to the district court hearing the case filed by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacist Association to block the merger between Express Scripts and Medco. The pharmacy industry's concern, however, revolves around what kind of beast will hatch from this ESI-Medco merger if that cracked egg isn't unscrambled.

“Straight over the cliff.”

That may be the destination for many independent pharmacies now that the Federal Trade Commission unconditionally has approved the controversial merger of the nation’s second- and third-largest pharmacy benefit managers, a top pharmacy leader warned.

WASHINGTON — The controversial merger between Express Scripts and Medco was completed Monday morning, according to a press release issued by both Express Scripts and the Federal Trade Commission.