Report: Walgreens and Duane Reade terminate Blink Health agreement

NEW YORK — Walgreens and Duane Reade have dropped out of the Blink Health pharmacy network, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

“We offered to extend our existing agreement with Blink while we continued discussions, and they decided not to accept that offer,” a spokesperson for Walgreens Boots Alliance told WSJ. “We have been very clear to Blink that we remain open to discussions to reach an agreement.

According to Blink Health, the website and app negotiates with pharmacies to determine one, low price for each medication that is accepted at more than 57,000 pharmacies nationwide, including CVS Health, Walmart, Kroger, Rite Aid and Safeway. For example, the company is currently working with Eli Lilly to offer a 40% discount on Lilly insulins, including Humalog.

Consumers shop on the website or app for a drug, receive a price, and if they like the price, can pay and take the receipt to a participating pharmacy to fill the prescription at no additional charge. There are no membership fees and it offers first-time users a $5 discount on their purchase.

The WSJ story can be found here (subscription required).