WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Mike Bloom has left CVS Caremark Corp. to become president and chief operating officer of Family Dollar Stores Inc. Bloom had been executive vice president of merchandising and supply chain at CVS Caremark. With his departure, Ron Link, senior vice president of logistics, and Richard Widdowson, vice president of inventory replenishment, will
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. has restructured its marketing and merchandising staff in a bid to foster a more integrated approach to the two disciplines and intensify the drug chain’s customer focus. A major component of the realignment was the elimination of the chief marketing officer’s role. As a result, Kim Feil, a vice president
WASHINGTON — Leading consumer groups have warned of the “potential for significant consumer harm” from a proposed merger of Express Scripts Inc. and Medco Health Solutions Inc. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, advocacy groups including the Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, National Consumers League, U.S. PIRG and the National Legislative Association
Pay attention. The origin of the following is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It is now nearing six years since the beginning of Medicare Part D. Development of a system to use Quality Based Payments for Quality Based Patient Outcomes is nearing reality. Imagine a Medicare Advantage Plan that includes drug benefits
CHEMUNG, N.Y. — CVS Caremark Corp.’s new distribution center here will bring 600 jobs to New York’s southern tier while fostering the company’s ongoing expansion, president and chief executive officer Larry Merlo said at a grand opening ceremony. The 751,000-square-foot warehouse, which will serve hundreds of northeastern stores, is vital to the company’s growth, Merlo
CAMP HILL, Pa. — As Rite Aid Corp. drives forward with the rollout of one new store format, it has decided to put the brakes on another. President and chief executive officer John Standley said the company is pulling the plug on any expansion plans for its co-branded Save-A-Lot/Rite Aid pharmacy and grocery stores. Rite
CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. has introduced wellness+ for diabetes, a free program that offers exclusive resources and savings to people living with diabetes and their caregivers. Through Rite Aid’s collaboration with WebMD, customers enrolled in wellness+ for diabetes get 24/7 online access to WebMD’s Diabetes head2toe lifestyle management tools. The tools include
NORTH BETHESDA, Md. — Len DeMino, who spent over half a century involved in community pharmacy, died last month. He was 81. After receiving a pharmacy degree in 1956 from George Washington University, DeMino began a long, distinguished career as a pharmacist and industry advocate in 1958 with Washington, D.C.-based Peoples Drug Stores. He eventually
COSHOCTON, Ohio — Ritzman Pharmacies Inc. has completed its acquisition of Buehler Food Markets Inc.’s in-store pharmacies. Ritzman — which has nine retail pharmacies — adds 13 locations and 75 employees from Buehler pharmacies. Part of the negotiations was for Ritzman to retain all current pharmacy employees while keeping similar wage and benefit packages. Exploration
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration wants the Supreme Court to hear a case pertaining to the 2010 health care reform law. The request makes it near certain that the nation’s highest court will soon agree to hear one or more cases involving challenges to the law. Arguments are anticipated to be made by the spring,
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is proposing to cut $320 billion from projected spending on Medicare and Medicaid in the coming decade as part of an overall reduction of the federal deficit. The president has called for higher premiums and deductibles for many Medicare beneficiaries and lower Medicare payments to teaching hospitals and rural hospitals.
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. has reiterated its commitment to sustainability with its 100th rooftop solar power system installation in a store in Mason, Ohio. Since its first solar installation in 2007, Walgreens has expanded its plans to include stores and distribution centers in Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Oregon and Ohio for a total of
When Len DeMino retired earlier this month after over 50 years of service to the profession of community pharmacy, he closed the door on the golden era of chain drug retailing, an era he helped define. Editor’s Note: The recent death of Len DeMino has prompted many people to look back at his legendary career.
Whatever one thinks of the health care reform legislation, whose most far-reaching provisions are due to take effect in 2014, it should be welcome news that the Obama administration has asked the Supreme Court to consider the ongoing legal challenges to the law. The Justice Department late last month decided to bypass an appeal of
