DEERFIELD, Ill. — With Medicare’s Annual Election Period set to begin Oct. 15, Walgreens on Tuesday announced it has more than doubled its preferred network relationships with national Medicare Part D plan sponsors for 2015 and will be a part of preferred networks for nine plan sponsors. The networks are designed to offer greater access to pharmacy services and cost savings opportunities.
“The Medicare population is growing rapidly, and by working closely with plan sponsors as a part of preferred pharmacy networks, we’re uniquely positioned to help meet the prescription drug needs of America’s seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries,” said Kermit Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness. “With a higher prevalence of chronic disease in the United States, along with the aging population, our pharmacists are playing an important role in health care, providing personalized care to help customers get, stay and live well.”
Walgreens will have preferred network relationships with six new Medicare Part D plan sponsors and PBMs who support them for 2015, including Express Scripts, which features Walgreens as the only national pharmacy chain in two of its prescription drug plans.
Other new preferred network relationships for 2015 include:
Cigna-HealthSpring;
EnvisionRx Plus;
Prime Therapeutics;
Providence Health Plan;
SilverScript; and
Renewed Preferred Networks
Walgreens will continue to be a part of preferred pharmacy networks with three national Medicare Part D plan sponsors, including Humana, UnitedHealthcare and WellCare.
Walgreens is in the networks of hundreds of other Medicare prescription drug plans for 2015, in addition to participating in these preferred pharmacy networks. Walgreens offers free, personalized plan comparison reports online and at every location to help beneficiaries evaluate the plans that may best meet their prescription drug needs.