Walgreens Boots Alliance and UnitedHealth
Group’s health insurance unit are opening “Medicare services centers” inside
the pharmacy chain’s U.S. drugstores in select markets under a new partnership.
Initially, UnitedHealth’s UnitedHealthcare and
Walgreens say they will open 14 “UnitedHealthcare Medicare services centers”
effective in January 2020. Financial terms of what both sides described as a
“multi-year” agreement weren’t disclosed.
“Through these centers, Walgreens customers
can learn more about Medicare, meet with service advocates to discuss their
UnitedHealthcare plan benefits and even enroll in plans,” the companies said in
a joint statement Monday. “UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members can also
make an appointment for an in-store annual wellness visit at the Medicare
services center in Walgreens through UnitedHealthcare's HouseCalls program,
helping make it easier to get needed care, tests and treatment.”
The effort comes amid an unprecedented period
of competition and growth for health insurance companies selling Medicare
Advantage plans, the private health coverage for seniors sold via contract with
the federal government. UnitedHealth’s competitors, CVS Health’s Aetna unit,
Anthem, Cigna and Humana and others, are rolling out new ways to engage seniors
once they sign up for their health plans.
And health insurance companies are forming
closer ties with pharmacy chains. CVS bought Aetna almost a year ago and Humana
for nearly 15 years now has had a partnership selling drug plans with Walmart
that involves Humana employees that are embedded into the giant retailer’s
stores. In its Walgreens partnership, UnitedHealthcare said it will have
an employee in the drugstore to help Medicare beneficiaries get questions
answered about their benefits and help them enroll in plans among other things.
"We are expanding access to
UnitedHealthcare Medicare resources to better serve our members, providing them
with all the valuable benefits they have come to expect from their
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans plus delivering the customer service
and information they desire locally within Walgreens," Mike Anderson,
chief executive of UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Part D business said.
Beginning in January 2020, The
UnitedHealthcare Medicare services centers will open in the “Las Vegas,
Phoenix, Cleveland, Denver and Memphis markets,” the companies said.
It’s the latest partnership negotiated by
Walgreens, which has been the subject of an array of media reports and Wall
Street speculation that the global drugstore chain might go private via leveraged buyout. Walgreens
has refused to confirm or comment on reports the pharmacy chain will go
private.
Walgreens said they are working with an array
of healthcare providers and others to better coordinate the healthcare of their
customers.
"Walgreens collaboration with
UnitedHealthcare helps people navigate their healthcare options and provides
convenient access to affordable care," said Walgreens senior vice
president of pharmacy and healthcare, Rick Gates. "Through strategic
partnerships like this, Walgreens store locations can offer comprehensive
services tailored to the specific needs of the communities we serve that are
conveniently accessible alongside our pharmacy services."
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