DEERFIELD, Ill. — Express Scripts Inc. (ESI) and Walgreen Co. have launched Smart90 Walgreens, a new option for ESI clients seeking 90-day prescriptions for patients with chronic diseases.

Under the new option, health plan sponsors who choose to include Walgreens as part of the Smart90 program in their pharmacy benefits will provide plan members with chronic conditions, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, the choice to receive 90-day supplies of maintenance medications either through home delivery from ESI or directly at a Walgreens retail pharmacy, both for the same co-pay.

Members could begin to access Smart­90 Walgreens as early as January 2014, depending on adoption by their plan sponsors.

“Working together with Express Scripts, Smart90 Walgreens will offer more pharmacy locations and better member access coverage than any single retail chain 90-day maintenance medication solution in the nation,” says Kermit Crawford, president of pharmacy, health and wellness.

“Through Smart90 Walgreens, our more than 8,000 Walgreens retail pharmacies will provide plan sponsors with cost savings and will offer their members safe, easy and convenient access to important in-person pharmacist consultations and a wide range of health and wellness services that can further improve medication adherence and lower overall health care costs,” he says.