Top Retailers

CAMP HILL, Pa. — All the Rite Aid stores affected by Hurricane Sandy have reopened except one, the company said Monday.

The store that hasn't opened, in Lavallette, N.J., is on a barrier island and is closed due to restricted access to the island. In addition, three stores in New York and one in New Jersey have established temporary pharmacies while their front ends are under repair. The company closed 790 stores at the height of the storm.

NEW YORK — The PBM division of CVS Caremark is hoping to get patients to use lower-cost drugs for certain conditions by removing higher-cost drugs from its formulary, according to published reports.

The Wall Street Journal reported that CVS Caremark would stop covering 17 drugs starting on Jan. 1, 2013, after removing 30 this year. The drugs include Abbott's Androgel (testosterone gel) for low testosterone, and Pfizer's drug Detrol LA (tolterodine tartrate) for overactive bladder.

WASHINGTON — Target, Walmart and McKesson were each recognized Friday as one of America’s more community-minded companies as part of the The Civic 50 — the first scientific evaluation to rank the companies that best use their time, talent and resources to improve the quality of life where they do business. 

The survey was conducted by the National Conference on Citizenship and Points of Light, and was published in the Nov. 9 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Friday announced it will expand its support of America's military veterans by hiring at least 1,000 military veterans in 2013 to add to the 1,300 hired to-date in 2012. In addition, the company is raising money this Veterans Day weekend for organizations that help veterans recover from service-related injuries and/or return to the civilian workforce.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark reported strong numbers on both the retail and PBM sides of its business — but the real bombshell for analysts on the call was the news that the company has raised its estimate on the number of Express Script patients that CVS feels it can keep from going back to Walgreens.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Edward Hospital on Thursday announced the opening of two Quick Care Clinics within a pair of Supervalu's Jewel-Osco pharmacies. 

"We are always seeking new opportunities to expand our services," stated Chris Dimos, Supervalu president of pharmacy and nonfoods merchandising. "Through this partnership, we will be able to offer our patients even more tools to help them manage their health and wellness needs."

LONDON — As part of its multi-channel strategy, Boots UK is currently testing the use of iPads to support in-store ordering across 30 stores, the London-based drug store retailer recently announced. 

Earlier this week, DSN reported that members of a prescription drug program offered by Humana to Medicare beneficiaries will soon be able to obtain 10 generic hypertension drugs from Walmart for a penny.

It's certainly good news for people with high blood pressure, but it also has big implications for the pharmacy retail industry.