Content about Medco Health Solutions

November 29, 2012
RxAlly offers powerful performance network

For decades, community pharmacy has waged a tireless campaign to gain recognition as an equal partner on the nation’s healthcare delivery team, and support for the role pharmacists can play as front-line patient care advocates.

For decades, community pharmacy has waged a tireless campaign to gain recognition as an equal partner on the nation’s healthcare delivery team, and support for the role pharmacists can play as front-line patient care advocates. That campaign has become increasingly urgent as hospital and primary care costs go through the roof, payers seek lower-cost healthcare solutions and health reform shifts the focus from traditional modes of fee-for-service payment to a reimbursement system that rewards successful patient outcomes.


November 15, 2012
Generics target specialty pharmacy with biosimilars

Perhaps the iconic scene at the end of Ridley Scott’s 1991 movie “Thelma & Louise” — with Gina Davis’ and Susan Sarandon’s characters hurdling into the Grand Canyon in a green convertible — is a good metaphor for what’s happening in the generic drug industry these days.


Perhaps the iconic scene at the end of Ridley Scott’s 1991 movie “Thelma & Louise” — with Gina Davis’ and Susan Sarandon’s characters hurdling into the Grand Canyon in a green convertible — is a good metaphor for what’s happening in the generic drug industry these days.


October 18, 2012
CVS Caremark names EVP specialty pharmacy

CVS Caremark announced on Thursday the appointment of Alan Lotvin to the position of EVP specialty pharmacy.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark announced on Thursday the appointment of Alan Lotvin to the position of EVP specialty pharmacy.

Lotvin has extensive experience in the pharmacy benefit management and specialty pharmacy industries. Prior to joining CVS Caremark, Lotvin was president and CEO of Icore Healthcare, a Magellan Health Services company. Previously, he has held roles as president and COO of M|C Communications, a medical education provider, and served in various senior management positions at Medco Health Solutions, including president of specialty pharmacy services.

September 28, 2012
Walgreens all systems go for 2013; reports 4Q, annual sales

Fiscal 2012 is now in Walgreens' rearview mirror as the company looks ahead toward 2013 with its foot on the accelerator

 DEERFIELD, Ill. — Fiscal 2012 now is in Walgreens' rearview mirror as the company looks ahead toward 2013 with its foot on the accelerator. A re-entry into the Express Scripts pharmacy provider network, a new loyalty card and synergies borne out of the Alliance Boots partnership will all help fuel Walgreens' health-and-wellness engine. 

Walgreens stock was up slightly within the half-hour of the call to approximately $36.70 per share. WAG had closed Thursday at $36.52 and opened Friday morning at $36.27. 

September 17, 2012
CVS Caremark names EVP, general counsel

CVS Caremark has appointed Thomas Moriarty as EVP and general counsel of CVS Caremark.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has appointed Thomas Moriarty as EVP and general counsel of CVS Caremark.

Moriarty most recently served as general counsel at the Celgene, a biopharmaceutical company, where he was responsible for global legal strategy and served on the company's management committee. Prior to that, Moriarty was general counsel and corporate secretary at Medco Health Solutions.

September 17, 2012
McKesson taps Medco Health Solutions exec to lead Health Mart franchise group

McKesson on Monday named Steve Courtman president of Health Mart, a franchise of 3,000 independently owned pharmacies.

SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson on Monday named Steve Courtman president of Health Mart, a franchise of 3,000 independently owned pharmacies. Courtman brings 25 years of industry experience with a track record for delivering business growth through technology, product innovation and sound leadership. 

June 27, 2012
CVS Caremark names new CIO

CVS Caremark has announced the appointment of Stephen Gold as CIO.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has announced the appointment of Stephen Gold as CIO. 

Gold, who joins CVS Caremark on July 9, will focus on bringing new and differentiating technology solutions to the company's retail and pharmacy benefit management businesses.

June 21, 2012
NewsBytes, Part 2 — Chain Pharmacy, 6/25/12

Walgreens in May named Alan London chief medical officer of Take Care Health Systems Consumer Solutions Group.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens in May named Alan London chief medical officer of Take Care Health Systems Consumer Solutions Group. In the newly created position, London will have leadership responsibility in building and maintaining external physician and health system relationships for Take Care Clinics while also providing strategic direction and leadership for the group’s service expansion, quality, clinical education and training, and collaborative practice agreement functions.

June 5, 2012
RxAlly appoints former Medco executive to VP, chief privacy officer post

A coalition of more than 22,000 pharmacies around the country has appointed a new VP and chief privacy officer.

LEESBURG, Va. — A coalition of more than 22,000 pharmacies around the country has appointed a new VP and chief privacy officer.

RxAlly announced Tuesday the appointment of Peter Duran to the position, in which he'll be responsible for the ensuring that the group's privacy practices comply with laws and regulations.

Duran previously worked for pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions for 15 years, where he helped build the company's privacy program.

April 26, 2012
AmerisourceBergen attributes growth to specialty biz

AmerisourceBergen on Thursday reported revenue of $20.1 billion, up 1.6%, for its second quarter ended March 31.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — AmerisourceBergen on Thursday reported revenue of $20.1 billion, up 1.6%, for its second quarter ended March 31.

April 16, 2012
ESI launches ScreenRx, offers preview of 2011 'Drug Trend Report'

Fresh off the heels of its merger with Medco Health Solutions, pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts announced Monday the launch of a medication nonadherence detection system and offered a preview of its annual "Drug Trend Report."

ST. LOUIS — Fresh off the heels of its merger with Medco Health Solutions, pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts announced Monday the launch of a medication nonadherence detection system and offered a preview of its annual "Drug Trend Report."

April 13, 2012
RAD inches closer to profitability

Thursday's results marked the fifth consecutive quarter in which Rite Aid increased its same-store sales. And at the rate it's currently going, there's a good chance the country's third-largest retail pharmacy chain soon could become profitable, even though it expected to post losses in 2013, albeit even smaller losses than in 2012.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Thursday's results marked the fifth consecutive quarter in which Rite Aid increased its same-store sales. And at the rate it's currently going, there's a good chance the country's third-largest retail pharmacy chain soon could become profitable, even though it expected to post losses in 2013, albeit even smaller losses than in 2012.

(THE NEWS: Rite Aid announces fourth quarter, fiscal year 2012 earnings. For the full story, click here.)

April 11, 2012
Report: Federal judge hears arguments in ESI-Medco merger case

A federal judge in Pittsburgh will rule "later" on whether to block or allow a merger between pharmacy benefit managers Medco Health Solutions and Express Scripts, and is considering a request by two trade groups seeking to keep Medco's operations and assets separate from ESI while the lawsuit is pending, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — A federal judge in Pittsburgh will rule "later" on whether to block or allow a merger between pharmacy benefit managers Medco Health Solutions and Express Scripts, and is considering a request by two trade groups seeking to keep Medco's operations and assets separate from ESI while the lawsuit is pending, according to published reports.

April 10, 2012
Lawsuit challenging ESI-Medco merger begins

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.

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.

March 29, 2012
NACDS, NCPA, nine retail pharmacy companies sue to block ESI-Medco merger

With as much as two-thirds of retail pharmacy operators' business tied up in the potential Express Scripts-Medco merger, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association and nine retail pharmacy companies on Thursday filed a lawsuit challenging the merger.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — With as much as two-thirds of retail pharmacy operators' business tied up in the potential Express Scripts-Medco merger, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association and nine retail pharmacy companies on Thursday filed a lawsuit challenging the merger.

March 19, 2012
The gender gap in Rx adherence: Can pharmacists bridge the divide?

Powerful pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions has just unveiled the results of a large-scale study that points out the critical role that pharmacist interventions play in the health and safety of women.

Powerful pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions has just unveiled the results of a large-scale study that points out the critical role that pharmacist interventions play in the health and safety of women.

The results of the research, jointly conducted by Medco and the Society for Women's Health Research, came to light March 17 at Women's Health 2012: The 20th Annual Congress. The study shows a wide and worrisome gender gap when it comes to how men and women adhere to their medication regimens.

March 19, 2012
Women use mental health drugs at higher rate than men, study finds

Women take mental health drugs at a much higher rate than men, according to a new study by one of the country's largest pharmacy benefit managers.

WASHINGTON — Women take mental health drugs at a much higher rate than men, according to a new study by one of the country's largest pharmacy benefit managers.

Medco Health Solutions released results of the study Monday, showing that 25% of women use psychotropic drugs, compared with 15% of men. The study was based on the pharmacy claims of more than 2 million Americans and measured the use of drugs for treating depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and psychotic disorders between 2001 and 2010.

March 16, 2012
NACDS praises N.J. legislators for resolution urging governor to oppose PBM mega-merger

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is praising lawmakers in Medco Health Solutions’ home state of New Jersey for delivering what NACDS called “a bold and revealing blow” to the PBM’s proposed merger with Express Scripts.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is praising lawmakers in Medco Health Solutions’ home state of New Jersey for delivering what NACDS called “a bold and revealing blow” to the PBM’s proposed merger with Express Scripts.

March 16, 2012
Patients taking oral cancer drugs may risk drug interactions, study finds

Pills for treating cancer have created numerous alternatives to spending hours in a clinic or at home receiving chemotherapy infusions, but risks of drug interactions remain, according to a new survey by the research arm of pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions.

WASHINGTON — Pills for treating cancer have created numerous alternatives to spending hours in a clinic or at home receiving chemotherapy infusions, but risks of drug interactions remain, according to a new survey by the research arm of pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions.

February 27, 2012
PCPAN responds to Express Scripts CEO's comments about community pharmacists

Comments made by Express Scripts president and CEO George Paz after the pharmacy benefit manager's earnings call last week has garnered some attention from a coalition that is looking to stop the merger between ESI and fellow PBM Medco Health Solutions.

WASHINGTON — Comments made by Express Scripts CEO George Paz after the pharmacy benefit manager's earnings call last week has garnered some attention from a coalition that is looking to stop the merger between ESI and fellow PBM Medco Health Solutions.

February 17, 2012
Let me tell you what PBMs do

Multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit management companies are advertising aggressively to try to convince Congress and the Federal Trade Commission to approve a merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions

Multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit management companies are advertising aggressively to try to convince Congress and the Federal Trade Commission to approve a merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions (“PCMA launches advertising campaign,” Drug Store News, Jan. 17).

February 15, 2012
Medco launches specialty benefit management program

Pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions has launched a medical benefit management program that it said would help control spending on specialty drugs, the company said.

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. — Pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions has launched a medical benefit management program that it said would help control spending on specialty drugs, the company said.

February 13, 2012
Let me tell you what PBMs do
Multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit management companies are advertising aggressively to try to convince Congress and the Federal Trade Commission to approve a merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solution.

Multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit management companies are advertising aggressively to try to convince Congress and the Federal Trade Commission to approve a merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions (“PCMA launches advertising campaign,” Drug Store News, Jan. 17).

February 10, 2012
Report: FTC to rule on Express Scripts, Medco merger within 30 days

Bloomberg on Friday reported that Express Scripts intends to inform the Federal Trade Commission that the company has delivered all the data requested regarding its purchase of Medco Health Solutions on Friday, which will trigger a 30-day period for a decision from the FTC.

NEW YORK — Bloomberg on Friday reported that Express Scripts intends to inform the Federal Trade Commission that the company has delivered all the data requested regarding its purchase of Medco Health Solutions on Friday, which will trigger a 30-day period for a decision from the FTC.

Express Scripts declined to comment for the story, Bloomberg added.

January 30, 2012
Could PBM merger battle get any hotter?

Will the merger of Express Scripts and Medco go through? Not if pharmacy lobbyists can stop it. There’s nothing new about the fact that different industry groups connected with retail pharmacy or health care can hold strongly opposing views about what’s good or profitable for their own members. But for undisguised hostility and tit-for-tat charges and countercharges, nothing comes close to the long-running feud between independent pharmacy and the pharmacy benefits management industry.

Will the merger of Express Scripts and Medco go through? Not if pharmacy lobbyists can stop it. There’s nothing new about the fact that different industry groups connected with retail pharmacy or health care can hold strongly opposing views about what’s good or profitable for their own members. But for undisguised hostility and tit-for-tat charges and countercharges, nothing comes close to the long-running feud between independent pharmacy and the pharmacy benefits management industry.