This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
have worked together for years, but this past year, Express Scripts decided not to include Walgreens in it's network.
This affected millions of Walgreens Customers, as it includes all Walgreens pharmacies nationwide and Duane Reade pharmacies in the New York City area. Patients covered by an Express Scripts plan now find themselves not only having to change their pharmacists, but many are having to drive farther to get prescriptions filled at pharmacies with less convenient hours for their hectic schedules. Walgreens offers more 24-hour and drive-thru pharmacies than any other pharmacy in the country.
And patients are not seeing their costs go down in exchange for the increased hassle they’re being subject to. It’s all pain with no gain. Unfortunately, costs may even go up without Walgreens because they offer competitive pricing, additional savings by dispensing less expensive generic drugs more often than other pharmacies, and savings through 90-day supplies of medications at our retail pharmacies versus three, 30-day refills. Customers are upset by losing their relationships with their local Walgreens Pharmacists, who have known them and taken care of their family for years.
Walgreens wants to help support and serve the troops. Express Scripts is standing in the way of that. One of Express Scripts’ clients is Tricare, which is the health and prescription drug program for America’s military service men and women. During negotiations, Walgreens took the unprecedented step of offering Express Scripts an ironclad guarantee that Walgreens prices would match or beat the average costs per adjusted prescription of all other pharmacies in the Tricare network. Walgreens did this in an effort to prevent our country’s military personnel from being caught in the middle. Walgreens also offered to contract separately with Express Scripts for Tricare from other Express Scripts commercial business, but these offers were rejected. Express Scripts continues to refuse to negotiate a separate contract for the benefit of the Tricare program and its beneficiaries.
Among the steps they have taking to minimize the disruption is offering a special discount on annual membership for its Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens. An individual can join during a special January promotion for only $5, or $10 for a family membership, and receive savings on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications. More than 400 generics are available with a three-month supply for less than $1 a week. Regular annual membership is $20 for an individual and $35 for a family.
People who are upset about not being able to use Walgreens anymore should contact their local media, as well as support Walgreens on Twitter and also support Walgreens on Facebook
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