Pharmacy

Anthem and Walmart are launching a new program in January 2019 to cut costs of over-the-counter medications and health-related items for members with Medicare Advantage plans, the companies said Aug. 20.

Gretchen Liu, a 78-year-old patient, was prescribed telmisartan two years ago to manage her blood pressure after a transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini stroke. A 90-day supply cost her $285 with insurance, when the drug itself was…

Despite opposition from pharmacy benefit managers, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said his agency has the power to eliminate prescription drug rebates — a key element in the prescription medicine cost debate, Reuters reports.

Genentech, a subsidiary of Swiss pharma giant Roche, is slashing 223 jobs from its headquarters in California, according to a recent WARN notice.

After five months on the job, Gilead Sciences CMO Andrew Cheng, MD, is leaving — joining the growing number of top executives to depart the biotech company in the last seven months, according to the San Francisco Business Journal.

OptumRx, UnitedHealthcare's mail service pharmacy, will implement fully sustainable medication packaging.

Under a new program targeting rising drug prices, CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit management arm of CVS Health, will allow its clients to drop coverage of drugs with extremely high launch prices, according to The Hill.

Ohio's Department of Medicaid immediately cancelled the contracts it has with two pharmacy benefit managers — CVS Caremark and Optum Rx — over pricing practices that cost the state tens of millions of dollars, according to the Dayton Daily News.

Express Scripts Holding, a pharmacy benefit manager and specialty pharmacy, is quietly building a side business aimed at helping drugmakers dispense a new generation of high-priced drugs, according to Reuters.

Medical device and drug recalls, whether voluntary or forced by the FDA, ensure patient safety.