ICYMI: Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has been lining up a broad range of preferred network agreements. In its latest move, Walgreens will unexpectedly displace CVS this December in the retail network for TRICARE, the healthcare program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families. Click here to read the announcement. I provide additional details below.

TRICARE is the latest in a string of deals engineered by Stefano Pessina, our global channels overlord and executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of WBA. In case you’ve lost track, I summarize Walgreens’ recent preferred pharmacy arrangements with Express Scripts, OptumRx, Prime Therapeutics, UnitedHealthcare, and Valeant.

WBA appears to be sacrificing profits for volume. The scope and diversity of the deals, however, clearly reflects WBA’s previously articulated industry-wide partnering strategy. It also provides an intriguing contrast with CVS Health’s closed system approach.

Read on and be impressed.

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) just released the initial data on the 2017 Medicare Part D plans. Our exclusive analysis reveals that preferred cost sharing pharmacy networks are back.

For 2017, 85% of Medicare Part D regional prescription drug plans (PDP) will have a preferred network. That’s comparable to the figures from the past three years.

Below, I provide historical data on preferred networks’ growth and then identify 2017’s top plans. The two largest companies—UnitedHealthcare and Humana—offer only preferred networks for 2017. Both companies are also offering co-branded plans with retail chains: United Healthcare with Walgreens, and Humana with Walmart.

Such narrow pharmacy networks—either preferred or limited models—are now an unstoppable and widely accepted element of benefit design. Pharmacies will continue to see their prescription profit margins terminated. In a future post, I’ll be back to examine which chains and independents are participating in the preferred networks.

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December 13-14, 2016 | Philadelphia, PA

It’s a wild and crazy time in the drug channel. Get ready for 2017 by joining me at being held this December in beautiful Philadelphia, PA. I’ll update everyone on hot topics and identify key strategic issues for the year ahead.

November 9-10, 2016 | Philadelphia
Innovative drugs, with ever-improving outcomes, are the future of any pharma company. But for most of us, our ability to form partnerships and develop new value propositions in a patient-centric world are now just as important – if not more so.

or better or worse, Mylan’s EpiPen controversy has started an intriguing dialogue about my favorite subject: the economics of U.S. drug channels. Many news

or better or worse, Mylan’s EpiPen controversy has started an intriguing dialogue about my favorite subject: the economics of U.S. drug channels. Many news

or better or worse, Mylan’s EpiPen controversy has started an intriguing dialogue about my favorite subject: the economics of U.S. drug channels. Many news

Autumn is almost here! Curl up with your favorite extra hot skim grande Pumpkin Spice blog and savor our latest seasonal harvest of Drug Channels news:

• Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy tells us a teeny bit about its business

• Dispensing oncology practices battle PBM CVS Caremark

• The uncertain forecast for drug spending and gross-to-net pricing

• A fascinating peek behind the downfall of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos

Plus, Jimmy Kimmel tells an EpiPen pricing joke at the Emmys. Can’t wait for him to riff on AMP!

P.S. Join our nearly 3,000 @DrugChannels followers on Twitter for my daily tweets about intriguing and insightful stuff from the interwebs.

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