Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency

PUTT Blog

PUTT Opposes CVS-Aetna Merger, Cigna-Express Scripts and Other "Mega Mergers" of This Type

With this week's news that the U.S. Department of Justice has given Cigna and Express Scripts the go-ahead to merge, it's worth revisiting - and re-stating - the obvious: PUTT opposes the CVS-Aetna merger.

PUTT also opposes Cigna-Express Scripts and any other "mega mergers" that result in one less choice for consumers; one more layer of bureaucracy for patients who already find themselves "lost" or treated like a number in corporate healthcare; or one more headache for pharmacies trying to care for patients AND keep the doors open for business.

PBMs In the News

Cigna: 14 Of 29 States Have Approved Express Scripts Deal
By Bruce Japsen
Originally published in Forbes, 8/29/18

Cigna said it is making progress with regulators to win approval of its acquisition of pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts, confirming regulators in 14 of 29 states have signed off on the merger.

“Currently, Cigna has received approvals from 14 states,” the health insurer said Wednesday afternoon in a regulatory filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. “Approvals from 15 additional states are conditions to closing the transaction.”

Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency (PUTT) is a non-profit advocacy organization founded by independent pharmacists and pharmacy owners devoted to exposing the truth about the anti-competitive tactics of pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) - drug benefits plan providers whose unregulated, secretive practices drive up prescription costs and annually waste hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.