Rebecca Pifer
June 20, 2018
Dive
Brief:
- CVS said Tuesday it will become
the first national drugstore chain to offer pharmacy and front store
delivery from 9,800 locations across the nation. The company said in
a press release that deliveries could
arrive as quickly as the next day.
- Customers can place orders for the
one to two-day prescription delivery service by calling their local
pharmacy or via the CVS Pharmacy app, with the option of adding
over-the-counter and front store products to their home order.
- The move is an expansion of
same-day prescription delivery launched in New York City at the end of
last year. New markets include Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco,
and Washington, D.C.
Dive
Insight:
Amazon’s
recent forays into the healthcare sphere may have spurred the decision as the
e-commerce giant flirts with entering the prescription drug market and replace
outdated supply-chain options in a potential industry disruption.
Last
December, Amazon pulled back its pharmacy
wholesaler application in Maine, a decision that analysts pegged as
a positive for pharmacies and the drug supply chain at the time.
CVS'
move also comes in the midst of its bid to buy Aetna for $69 billion, a merger
that would make the combined company one of the few players with a significant
market share in both the pharmacy and healthcare insurance industries. The
vertical merger is still pending regulatory approval.
At
the same time, CVS is attempting to increase customer service by providing more
options in the space — tying in with company goals to create new framework for
population health management and combine data-driven insights with retail-based
care.
CVS
will charge $4.99 per delivery and consumers can order by calling their local
pharmacy or via the CVS Pharmacy app. Over-the-counter and a selection of
store items will also be available for home delivery.
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