RETAIL NEWS

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association on Tuesday submitted five recommendations for improving and transforming the Medicare Part D program in response to a Request for Information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix has named a new head of its government affairs efforts. The company on Tuesday named John Provenzano to be its VP government relations. He will be assuming the helm of Publix’s local, state and federal government affairs, as well as its political action committee, effective June 12.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health on Tuesday reported net income for the three months ended March 31 decreased 16.9% year over year to $953 million. According to CVS, this decline was primarily driven by the decline in operating profit, partially offset by lower interest expense of $31 million related to refinancing activity in the prior year as well as the improvement in the effective income tax rate, from 39.4% to 37.3%.

TORONTO — Rexall last week officially marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Brunswick House as its flagship drugstore in Toronto’s Harbord Village.

Known for over 100 years as a hotel, local bar and famous live music venue, the new store opening was celebrated with the unveiling of the Rexall Brunswick House Music Artifacts Exhibition. Items on display include priceless memorabilia from household names whose music once graced its stage: Jeff Healey, Oscar Peterson, Downchild Blues Band, Peter Appleyard and others.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer opened new 192,000-sq-ft. supercenters on Tuesday in McCordsville and Franklin, Ind., which include full-service pharmacies that make “family health care a priority.” The prescription program includes oral generic antibiotics with a special focus on prescriptions most often filled for children, prenatal vitamins, and medications for those with diabetes and high cholesterol. Since its inception in 2006, the program has filled more than 39 million free prescriptions, saving Meijer customers more than $536 million, stated the company.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Pharmacy sites located inside Target locations are “moving in the right direction,” CVS Health President and CEO Larry Merlo stated Tuesday during the company’s 2017 fiscal first-quarter earnings conference call.

“We are continuing to see improving script performance versus prior quarters, putting aside the network changes,” he said. “Performance is being driven by strength of patient care programs and Maintenance Choice.”

Retail clinics within Target stores were another area of strength.

SALISBURY, N.C. — In an effort to make shopping easier and more affordable for its customers, Food Lion will make a $110 million investment in its stores by remodeling 71 stores in the greater Richmond, Va., market this year. This effort includes remodeling the stores, additional price investments throughout the year and investments in associates and the community through Food Lion Feeds, the grocer's hunger relief initiative.

NEW YORK — Kmart Pharmacy and The Alzheimer's Foundation of America have expanded their partnership, whereby Kmart will conduct free memory screenings in all of its locations throughout the country and Puerto Rico during "Older Americans Month" in May. 

In addition, Kmart will again conduct memory screenings in November during Alzheimer's Awareness Month.