General Motors
Last week, GM informed its employees, retirees, and both groups' dependents that they will no longer be able to fill their prescriptions at Walgreen
For its part, Walgreen claims that GM has misunderstood its stance. The retail pharmacy outfit indicated that it will still serve GM plan participants and that its no-mail-order position applies to new programs that require mail ordering, not existing plans like GM's. According to the Chicago Tribune, Walgreen believes that GM's pharmacy benefit manager, Medco Health Solutions
Although GM and Walgreen could still mend fences, the friction may be a sign of things to come, as automakers are exploring every option to reduce their prescription drug expenses and may follow GM's example. If more firms become convinced that they can save money by using mail-order programs such as those run by Medco and its rivals, Caremark Rx
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Fool contributor Brian Gorman is a freelance writer in Chicago. He does not own shares of any companies mentioned in this article.