Walgreens to Stop Filling Prescriptions Under Mich. Midwest Health Plan

Walgreens Co. has announced it will stop filling prescriptions for members of Midwest Health Plan, based in Dearborn, Mich., effective July 1 because of inadequate pharmacy reimbursement rates.

Walgreens has been in discussions with Midwest Health Plan for the past several months on a rate that reflects the considerable costs of providing patients with their medication therapy and processing insurance claims.

“We apologize to our patients who will be inconvenienced by this
decision. But current payments from the plan don’t adequately reimburse us for the services we provide,” said Chris Whelan, Walgreens vice president of store operations. “We’ll be equally concerned in the future if plans offer similar reimbursement rates to us. Although we haven’t reached agreement with Midwest, we remain committed to working with them and are optimistic our pharmacies will rejoin the plan at a future date.”

Walgreen Co. identifies itself as the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2005 sales of $42.2 billion. The company operates 5,251 stores in 45 states and Puerto.

SOURCE Walgreen Co.