Drug Channels

APRIL 1, 2025

For 2025, the three largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)Caremark (CVS Health), Express Scripts (Cigna), and Optum Rx (United Health Group)have again each excluded hundreds of drugs from their standard formularies. In fact, nearly all marketed Humira biosimilars are excluded from the larger PBMs 2025 formularies. What do you think?

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Drug Channels

APRIL 23, 2025

Last week, we examined the growing concentration of specialty drug dispensing revenues among the largest pharmacies. See The Top 15 Specialty Pharmacies of 2024: How PBMs, Health Systems, and Independents Are Shaping the Market. Read more 2006-2025 HMP Omnimedia, LLC d/b/a Drug Channels Institute , an HMP Global Company.

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Drug Channels

JUNE 16, 2025

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for Friday’s live video webinar: What’s Next for Retail Pharmacy: Data, Debate, and Disruption. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Read more » © 2006-2025 HMP Omnimedia, LLC d/b/a Drug Channels Institute , an HMP Global Company. All rights reserved.

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Drug Channels

MAY 16, 2025

Todays guest post is from Divya Iyer, SVP of Go-to-Market Strategy at GoodRx. Divya shares new GoodRx data showing that out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter remain a primary barrier to medication adherence. To learn about GoodRxs prescription abandonment solutions, download Reduce Rx Abandonment at the Pharmacy.

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Drug Channels

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

Small pharmacies have ghosted Medicare Part Ds preferred networksno farewell party, no breakup text, just a quiet exit. A few months ago , DCI highlighted how the largest pharmacy chains are participating as preferred cost sharing pharmacies in the 2025 stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) networks. Abracadabra!

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Drug Channels

MAY 20, 2025

Fein, president of Drug Channels Institute (DCI) and the author of Drug Channels , invites you to join him for DCIs new live video webinar: Whats Next for Retail Pharmacy: Data, Debate, and Disruption This event will be broadcast live on: Friday, June 20, 2025 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. You can reset the cart by entering 0 in the quantity field.)

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Drug Channels

APRIL 15, 2025

You'll learn how money and medicines move between manufacturers, wholesalers, pharmacies, PBMs, and payersand how each relationship affects costs and outcomes. The Economics of Retail, Mail, and Specialty Pharmacies Gain a clear-eyed view of how different pharmacy channels generate revenue and manage costs. All rights reserved.

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Drug Channels

JUNE 3, 2025

There was more bad news, as employment in retail pharmacies and drugstores dropped by 8,500 positions in 2024, following a drop of 4,800 positions in 2023. Employment in mass merchants and supermarkets with pharmacies increased. Click here to share your thoughts on the pharmacist job market with the Drug Channels LinkedIn community.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 31, 2025

Threes still company in the world of pharmacy benefit managers. Below, we break down the latest market share data from Drug Channels Institute (DCI), explore the developments driving these changes, and examine what they signal for the future of the PBM landscape. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers ends today (3/31/25)!

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Drug Channels

JULY 12, 2022

Despite what you may have heard, pharmacy participation in the 340B Drug Pricing Program continues to thrive. Drug Channels Institute’s latest analysis reveals that an astonishing 32,000 pharmacy locations —more than half of the entire U.S. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2022 Pembroke Consulting, Inc.

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Drug Channels

JUNE 6, 2022

The retail pharmacy shakeout affected 2021 pharmacist employment. We found that retail pharmacies and drugstores employed fewer pharmacists, while hospitals and outpatient centers continued to add positions. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2022 Pembroke Consulting, Inc. Full salary data below for your enjoyment or sorrow.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 8, 2022

Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. The total share of the largest 15 companies decreased slightly compared with their 2020 share, due primarily to below-market growth rates at retail and long-term care pharmacies. Read on as we cue up our latest update on the booming pharmacy and PBM marketplace.

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Drug Channels

APRIL 16, 2024

Drug Channels Institute’s (DCI’s) latest analysis finds that participants in the specialty pharmacy market continue to get more diverse—although revenues remain highly concentrated. Read on for DCI’s latest overview of the 2023 marketplace and revenues of the biggest market participants, along with key specialty pharmacy trends.

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Drug Channels

MAY 23, 2023

In 2022, the PBM market remained highly consolidated—although there were some intriguing share shifts among the largest players. Below, you’ll find Drug Channels Institute's latest estimates of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) market share based on equivalent prescription claims. to 1:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 12, 2024

Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. prescription dispensing revenues reached $621 billion in 2023, driven by accelerating GLP-1 prescriptions and an expanding post-pandemic market. How will the most consequential change in federal drug pricing policy affect the largest pharmacies and PBMs? to 1:30 p.m.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 8, 2023

Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. The largest 15 pharmacies accounted for more than 75% of total dispensing revenues from retail, mail, long-term care, and specialty pharmacies. How will GoodRx and Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company affect the pharmacy industry? to 1:30 p.m. d/b/a Drug Channels Institute.

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Drug Channels

APRIL 9, 2024

Three is still the magic number for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Read on for Drug Channels Institute’s (DCI’s) latest market share figures, along with a preview of the industry changes that will shift these shares over the next few years. All rights reserved. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 14, 2023

Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers , available for purchase and immediate download. Prescription Market (press release) We’re offering special discounted pricing if you order before April 3, 2023. Prescription Market (press release) We’re offering special discounted pricing if you order before April 3, 2023.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 15, 2022

Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers , available for purchase and immediate download. Prescription Market (press release) We’re offering special discounted pricing if you order before March 28, 2022. Prescription Market (press release) We’re offering special discounted pricing if you order before March 28, 2022.

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Drug Channels

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers is a definitive, nonpartisan resource that includes the most current information about pharmacy dispensing channels, third-party payers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), patients’ financial contributions, government regulations, and much more.

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Drug Channels

AUGUST 6, 2024

In the video excerpt below, I walk through a brief history of 340B contract pharmacies. I conclude with a “follow the dollar” example of 340B prescription economics with contract pharmacies. © 2006-2024 HMP Omnimedia, LLC d/b/a Drug Channels Institute , an HMP Global Company. Click here if you can’t see the video below.

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Drug Channels

APRIL 12, 2023

In Drug Channels Institute’s list of the top 15 pharmacies of 2022 , we show that central-fill, mail pharmacies operated by large PBMs and health insurers have displaced retail chains as the largest prescription drug dispensers by revenues. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2023 Pembroke Consulting, Inc.

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Drug Channels

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

As many of you know, hospitals and health systems have emerged as significant participants in the specialty pharmacy industry. A new American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP) survey provides fresh insights into these specialty pharmacies. Below, I review key findings on the economics and operations of these specialty pharmacies.

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Drug Channels

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Today’s guest post comes from Bill Dupere, Practice Lead and VP of Market Access Solutions and Eric Willis, VP of Operations Hub and Reimbursement Services at TrialCard. To learn more, please contact Trialcard at sales@trialcard.com or visit them in booth #416 at the upcoming Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit from October 26 to 29, 2021.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 27, 2023

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for this Friday’s live video webinar: Discount Cards, Cost-Plus Pharmacies, and PBMs: Trends, Controversies, and Outlook. The rise of discount card pricing within pharmacy benefit plans is a positive development. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2023 Pembroke Consulting, Inc.

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Drug Channels

NOVEMBER 15, 2023

In Medicare Part D in 2024: The Seven Largest Companies' Preferred Pharmacy Networks and the Coming Collapse of the PDP Market , I documented how those networks now dominate stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) and have become a major presence in Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans. to 1:30 p.m.

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Drug Channels

APRIL 5, 2022

The highly-consolidated PBM market notched another year of increased concentration. Consider Drug Channels Institute's latest estimates of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) market share, shown in the chart below. Significant business relationships among the largest companies continue to shift market share.

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Drug Channels

NOVEMBER 15, 2022

The rise of discount card pricing within pharmacy benefit plans is a positive development. Patients get access to market prices that can be lower than their PBM’s contracted rate. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2022 Pembroke Consulting, Inc. Links below. to 1:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Click here to learn more and sign up.

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Drug Channels

MAY 24, 2022

As the market for patient-paid prescriptions has expanded, disputes about the appropriate split of these spreads will pressure pharmacy-PBM relationships and drive change in the discount card business model. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2022 Pembroke Consulting, Inc. Read on and see what you think. d/b/a Drug Channels Institute.

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Drug Channels

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for this Friday’s live video webinar: Drug Channels Update: Buy-and-Bill Market Trends. I was struck by how quickly Cigna’s Express Scripts PBM business has increased revenues and prescriptions from its retail pharmacy network. Links below. d/b/a Drug Channels Institute.

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Drug Channels

JULY 25, 2022

The highly-consolidated PBM market notched another year of increased concentration. Consider Drug Channels Institute's latest estimates of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) market share, shown in the chart below. Significant business relationships among the largest companies continue to shift market share.

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Drug Channels

MARCH 1, 2022

Our exclusive analysis of these numbers finds that for 2022, an astounding 99% of seniors are enrolled in the wonderland of PDPs with preferred pharmacy networks. Below, we use the new enrollment data to examine the major pharmacy chains’ position within the 27 major Part D plans that have preferred networks. DOWN THE DATA RABBIT HOLE.

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Drug Channels

APRIL 26, 2022

In this issue: Green Monster : The 340B market hits new highs in 2021 Not-Free Agents : Big 340B profits for CVS, Walgreens, Express Scripts, et al Batter Up : Fixing the insulin market Pinch Hitters : Walgreens bets on robots Plus, Dr. Glaucomflecken helps UnitedHealthcare celebrate Doctors’ Day! Hope to see you there!

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Drug Channels

JULY 20, 2022

In this issue: CVS disassociates itself from its chain pharmacy association Payers are paying attention to ICER Benefits of the biosimilar boom A fantastic takedown of health insurance deductibles Plus, I join the Advisory Board of Alto Pharmacy. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2022 Pembroke Consulting, Inc. to 1:30 p.m.

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Drug Channels

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

These include disruption to the now-booming biosimilar market, the prospects of physician/hospital vertical integration that will raise commercial healthcare costs and expand 340B, and the need for complex new processes to administer the IRA's lower pharmacy reimbursements. d/b/a Drug Channels Institute.

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Drug Channels

JULY 11, 2023

Looks like pharmacy and PBM profiteering within the 340B Drug Pricing Program will never go out of style. Drug Channels Institute’s (DCI) latest analysis reveals that more than 33,000 pharmacy locations —more than half of the entire U.S. Read more » Copyright © 2006-2023 Pembroke Consulting, Inc. d/b/a Drug Channels Institute.

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Drug Channels

JULY 11, 2022

Informa Connect's Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Models West. September 14-15, 2022 Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina | San Diego, CA www.informaconnect.com/hub-specialty-pharmacy-west. Copyright © 2006-2022 Pembroke Consulting, Inc. Delivered as a Hybrid Event. Drug Channels, or any of its employees.

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