Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., penned a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Federal Trade Commission head urging a thorough review of CVS Health's proposed $69 billion takeover of Aetna, WPRI reports.
In a March 7 letter, Mr. Crawford wrote he has "grave concern" the merger could negatively affect rural consumers and independent pharmacies. He argued a combined CVS Health-Aetna "could potentially destroy competition in the healthcare industry and would encourage further consolidation, imperiling consumer choice and increasing costs for prescription medications."
Mr. Crawford cited Arkansas Pharmacists Association complaints in his argument. The organization has argued independent pharmacies are underpaid through CVS Health's pharmacy benefit management arm, the report states.
CVS Health spokesperson Mike DeAngelis told WPRI the retail giant is dedicated to cost containment while offering "a broad network of pharmacies that includes local, independent pharmacies." He added, "The Arkansas Pharmacists Association (APA) is painting an overall skewed picture of how CVS Caremark reimburses pharmacies. We believe that independent pharmacies in our network are reimbursed fairly and that we are in compliance with Arkansas state law."
On March 13, CVS Health and Aetna shareholders overwhelmingly approved the deal.