Followers | 680 |
Posts | 141098 |
Boards Moderated | 36 |
Alias Born | 03/10/2004 |
Thursday, August 17, 2023 10:37:40 AM
By: Investing.com | August 17, 2023
(Reuters) -Non-profit insurer Blue Shield of California plans to depend less on CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) as its pharmacy benefit manager and work with others such as Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Mark Cuban's drug firm to reduce reliance on companies that negotiate drug prices.
CVS shares slid over 6%, while rivals Cigna (NYSE:CI) Group and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), which also have pharmacy benefit management units, fell 5% and 1%, respectively, in early trade.
Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which maintain lists of drugs covered by health insurance plans and negotiate prices with manufacturers, have recently come under scrutiny from lawmakers for their role in rising healthcare costs.
Blue Shield, which has health plans that cover 4.8 million members, said it will now work with five different companies, including Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, to provide "convenient, transparent access to medications while lowering costs".
"Many in the industry will likely be watching this situation closely as managing the five partnerships could prove tricky , but if it (Blue Shield) is successful, we could see additional regionals move more in a similar direction," said Elizabeth Anderson, analyst at Evercore ISI.
Blue Shield will still retain CVS Caremark for its specialty pharmacy services, while Amazon will provide delivery of prescription medications as well as upfront pricing. Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company will work to reduce surprise drug costs at the pharmacy pick-up counter.
"We look forward to providing care for Blue Shield of California's members who require complex, specialty medications – as we have for nearly two decades," CVS said in a statement.
Privately held Abarca will pay prescription drug claims, while smaller PBM Prime Therapeutics would work with Blue Shield to negotiate savings with drugmakers, the non-profit insurer said.
Blue Shield said it expects to save up to $500 million in annual drug costs once its multi-year strategy is fully implemented.
The loss of the Blue Shield pharmacy benefit management contract is another blow to Caremark, which is also set to lose the contract to manage Centene (NYSE:CNC)'s $40 billion annual pharmacy needs from next year.
Read Full Story »»»
DiscoverGold
Information posted to this board is not meant to suggest any specific action, but to point out the technical signs that can help our readers make their own specific decisions. Caveat emptor!
• DiscoverGold
Recent CVS News
- Form 424B3 - Prospectus [Rule 424(b)(3)] • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 05/07/2024 12:31:39 PM
- Perficient Stock Soars 52.9% Post-Acquisition; Luminar Declines 10% Amid Workforce Cutbacks, and Other News • IH Market News • 05/06/2024 12:09:00 PM
- CVS Health, Starbucks, Shares Weaker; Pinterest Soars • IH Market News • 05/01/2024 01:12:05 PM
- CVS HEALTH CORPORATION REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2024 RESULTS AND REVISES FULL-YEAR 2024 GUIDANCE • PR Newswire (US) • 05/01/2024 10:30:00 AM
- Philips Stocks Soar 47% Following US Deal, Tesla Bolsters Presence in China, and More News • IH Market News • 04/29/2024 11:11:24 AM
- CVS Health opens new workforce development and community resource center in Baton Rouge • PR Newswire (US) • 04/25/2024 01:00:00 PM
- CVS Health invests $19.2 million in affordable housing in Arvada, Colorado • PR Newswire (US) • 04/24/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Baum Family Investments Embarks on Triple Net Lease Strategy with $250 Million Acquisition Goal • PR Newswire (US) • 04/23/2024 08:10:00 PM
- Aetna Better Health of Michigan recommended for CHCP contract • PR Newswire (US) • 04/09/2024 04:00:00 PM
- CVS Health® expands pharmacy tuition assistance and scholarship programs • PR Newswire (US) • 04/03/2024 12:00:00 PM
- CVS Health to hold first quarter 2024 earnings conference call • PR Newswire (US) • 04/01/2024 01:00:00 PM
- CVS Health® invests more than $3M in organizations improving health outcomes in Phoenix • PR Newswire (US) • 03/27/2024 06:00:00 PM
- CVS Health announces quarterly dividend • PR Newswire (US) • 03/21/2024 02:55:00 PM
- AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Most of CVS Health Corporation’s Aetna Inc. Subsidiaries; Withdraws Credit Ratings of Members of Texas Health Aetna • Business Wire • 03/13/2024 09:03:00 PM
- Form 8-K - Current report • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 03/05/2024 11:09:28 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 03/01/2024 10:21:05 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 03/01/2024 10:20:02 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 03/01/2024 10:18:58 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/28/2024 09:37:48 PM
- CVS Health invests nearly $35 million in affordable housing in Hawai'i • PR Newswire (US) • 02/22/2024 01:45:00 AM
- CVS Health to participate at the 45nd Annual Raymond James Institutional Investors Conference • PR Newswire (US) • 02/21/2024 02:00:00 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/16/2024 11:46:48 PM
- Form 144 - Report of proposed sale of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/16/2024 09:12:41 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/14/2024 10:15:55 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/14/2024 10:14:41 PM
FEATURED Cannabix Technologies Launches New Compact Breath Logix Workplace Series and Prepares for Delivery to South Africa • May 7, 2024 8:51 AM
Moon Equity Holdings, Corp. Announces Acquisition of Wikolo, Inc. • MONI • May 7, 2024 9:48 AM
NanoViricides Reports that the Phase I NV-387 Clinical Trial is Completed Successfully and Data Lock is Expected Soon • NNVC • May 2, 2024 10:07 AM
ILUS Files Form 10-K and Provides Shareholder Update • ILUS • May 2, 2024 8:52 AM
Avant Technologies Names New CEO Following Acquisition of Healthcare Technology and Data Integration Firm • AVAI • May 2, 2024 8:00 AM
Bantec Engaged in a Letter of Intent to Acquire a Small New Jersey Based Manufacturing Company • BANT • May 1, 2024 10:00 AM