CHICAGO (Reuters) - Walgreen Co is going through "the worst" part of not being in Express Scripts Inc's network and, while the transition is difficult now, the drugstore should rebound as the year progresses, its top pharmacy executive said on Monday.
Walgreen, the largest U.S. drugstore chain, has been at odds with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts since June, when the companies said they could not agree on a new contract that would have started on January 1, 2012. Now, after attempts to come to new terms were not fruitful, Walgreen no longer fills prescriptions for Express Scripts' members, unless they choose to pay another way.
"Right now is the worst part for us of not being in Express Scripts' contract," Kermit Crawford, Walgreen's president of pharmacy, health and wellness solutions and services, said as he walked around the company's newest store in Chicago.
Walgreen asserts Express Scripts is focused only on drug spending and "that's not how we think about healthcare," Crawford said.
Walgreen said it gave what was its best attempt at reaching an agreement back in mid-December.
"As far as I'm concerned, the ball is in their court," Crawford added.
His chain says it wants to provide a more comprehensive approach to lowering the overall cost of healthcare. That plan includes filling prescriptions - what it is best known for - as well as services such as monitoring patients' adherence to drug regimens, checking conditions such as diabetics' glucose levels and offering in-store and workplace clinics. read more
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