Content about Humana

Earlier this week, DSN reported that members of a prescription drug program offered by Humana to Medicare beneficiaries will soon be able to obtain 10 generic hypertension drugs from Walmart for a penny.

It's certainly good news for people with high blood pressure, but it also has big implications for the pharmacy retail industry.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart and Humana have teamed up again to help Medicare beneficiaries afford their prescriptions. With annual enrollment open until Dec. 7, 2012, for 2013 Medicare plans, the Humana-Walmart Preferred Rx Plan announced that it offers one monthly plan premium of $18.50 a month for beneficiaries in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., regardless of where they live.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — With the Medicare Annual Election Period set to begin Oct. 15, Walgreens on Wednesday announced it will be a part of preferred pharmacy networks of four national Medicare Part D plan sponsors: Coventry, Humana, SmartD Rx and UnitedHealthcare.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — "It is not from the benevolence of the patient, the pharmacist or the payer that we expect our better health, but from their regard to their own self interest." While the somewhat-modified quote is ascribable to Adam Smith, an 18th-century economist credited with the invisible hand theory, the principle holds true: Solutions developed as a part of commerce are both more efficient and more sustainable because they benefit all involved.

LOUISVILLE, Ky., and PRINCETON, N.J. — A healthcare company and a drug maker have entered a one-year research partnership to explore diabetes treatment and care.

Humana and Novo Nordisk said its researchers will identify opportunities to change how patients might be treated to improve quality and outcomes for the millions of people who battle diabetes. Humana is working through its research affiliate, Competitive Health Analytics, on this partnership, Humana noted.

Senior Walmart executives regularly invoke the name of Sam Walton when it serves to reinforce a point regarding the company’s business model or the cultural principles on which Walton is said to have founded the company. Dr. John Agwunobi, president of health and wellness for Walmart U.S., took the practice a step further recently when he participated in a panel presentation with other top executives at a conference put on by the Center for Retailing Excellence at the University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business.


Few supermarkets make health and wellness as central to their business as Hy-Vee, a West Des Moines, Iowa-based chain.

In December 2010, the chain announced it would become one of a number of retailers — including Kroger and Safeway — to participate in Pharmacy Saver, a new program offered in collaboration with UnitedHealthcare, the country’s largest Medicare Part D insurer. The program was launched, in part, as a response to the Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx Plan, launched in late September 2010.

WOODMERE, Ohio — Health-and-wellness retailer Max-Wellness on Tuesday announced a series of initiatives that vastly will expand the reach of the upstart company.

Among them:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Humana Pharmacy Solutions, Humana’s pharmacy benefit management division, on Thursday announced it has selected AmerisourceBergen as Humana’s primary wholesaler for drug purchasing.

“With this agreement, we’ll be able to offer members and employers access to more cost-effective generic versions of clinically proven and popular brand-name drugs,” stated William Fleming, VP Humana Pharmacy Solutions.

The five-year agreement takes effect May 1.


BENTONVILLE, Ark. — It’s the kind of low-price power play that gives smaller-scale independent pharmacy owners — and chain drug store operators too, for that matter — the willies. In what promises to be another potent and potentially market-altering exercise in massive scale and competitive clout, Walmart has linked up with insurance heavyweight Humana to launch what it says will be the lowest-cost prescription drug plan for seniors who rely on Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.


LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Humana's pharmacy benefit management business has been awarded pharmacy benefit management accreditation from a nonprofit healthcare accrediting organization.

Humana Pharmacy Solutions was awarded full pharmacy benefit management accreditation by URAC. URAC standards require companies to demonstrate their commitment to quality and safety.