The first two weeks of the new year proved busy for Walgreens Boots Alliance, from weak first quarter profits to a major opioid lawsuit to a new executive.
Five updates on the retail pharmacy giant from the first days of 2020:
- Oscar Health drops Walgreens from pharmacy network
Oscar Health, an insurer headquartered in New York City, dropped Walgreens from its pharmacy network, effective Jan. 1. Oscar customers now can't access in-network rates for medications at Walgreens locations, and purchases won't help customers reach their deductibles. - Walgreens secures enterprisewide specialty accreditation
Walgreens received URAC accreditation in specialty pharmacy for its more than 300 specialty pharmacies in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. - Walgreens poaches athenahealth CMO
Walgreens hired Kevin Ban, MD, who most recently served as athenahealth's CMO, to serve as its new CMO. - CVS, Walgreens sue Ohio physicians, claim they share blame for opioid crisis
Walgreens, along with CVS and other major retail pharmacy chains, filed a lawsuit against hundreds of physicians in Ohio, claiming they need to take responsibility for their part in the opioid epidemic. - Walgreens Q1 profit dips on weak pharmacy operations
Walgreens Boots Alliance fell short of Wall Street earnings expectations in the first fiscal quarter, in large part due to weak prescription volume.