KROGER

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Tuesday named Jay Cummins president of the Smith's Food and Drug Stores division and Joe Fey president of Kroger's Mid-Atlantic division.

CINCINNATI — Kroger and Harris Teeter Supermarkets on Friday announced that the Federal Trade Commission granted early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 with respect to the pending merger transaction between the two companies.

The early termination of the HSR waiting period satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the pending merger, which remains subject to other customary closing conditions. Both companies expect the transaction to be completed before the end of January.

WASHINGTON — A pharmacy professor and compounding pharmacy owner are candidates for president-elect of the American Pharmacists Association for 2015-2016, the group said.

The APhA said the candidates for the position are Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy professor and community pharmacy residency program director Jean-Venable Goode and Newport Beach, Calif.-based Westcliff Compounding Pharmacy owner Michael Pavlovich. Members will have the opportunity to meet the candidates at the APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Orlando, Fla., in March.

NEW YORK — At least two retailers in areas affected by record-low temperatures that have put much of the country under a deep freeze have seen a big spike in sales as consumers stock up on supplies, according to published reports.

ATHENS, Ga. — A professor at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy has been named the first Rite Aid professor in community pharmacy, the school said.

Beth Phillips, who took the new role on Dec. 1, joined the college's faculty in 2007, and the school said the professorship, its newest, includes a $250,000 endowment for salary support, research and teaching assistance and traveling expenses. Of the school's other endowed professorships, one also is sponsored by Kroger.

According to reports, as many as 2.1 million Americans signed up for new insurance coverage that went into effect Jan. 1. However, even though these newly insured people had coverage, what they perhaps didn't have was the identification card to process claims, such as prescriptions, for example. But don't worry, retail pharmacy was fast to the rescue, offering those 2.1 million patients who had obtained insurance through a health exchange the benefit of the doubt and a 30-day supply of their prescriptions at no upfront cost once their coverage was verified. 

NEW YORK — Regional chain Kinney Drugs is the latest to offer prescriptions at no upfront cost to some customers who have enrolled in Obamacare, according to published reports.

The Syracuse, N.Y., Post-Standard reported Friday that the Gouverneur, N.Y.-based chain would offer 30-day prescriptions to customers who have enrolled, but have not received an identification number. The offer is good through the month of January. Kinney operates 99 stores in central and northern New York and adjacent areas of Vermont.

CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co. has joined the list of retailers offering supplies of prescription drugs at no upfront cost to customers who have enrolled in the health insurance marketplaces, but have yet to receive an identification number.

The company announced Thursday that it would offer up to a 30-day supply of certain prescription drugs to customers who provide confirmation of their enrollment at one of the retailer's pharmacies.