Express Scripts, a leading pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), has announced a new collaboration with CPESN USA, a network of independent pharmacies, to bolster the role of independent pharmacies in providing crucial healthcare services. This initiative marks a significant step forward for Express Scripts’ IndependentRx Initiative, a program dedicated to strengthening independent and community pharmacies.
The partnership stems directly from the insights of Express Scripts’ Independent Pharmacy Advisory Committee, comprised of 38 pharmacists across the nation. Initially, the collaboration will focus on delivering enhanced services to Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes or hypertension, two prevalent chronic conditions. Pharmacies within the CPESN network will play a pivotal role by offering medication management and optimization, care coordination, proactive identification of at-risk patients, and targeted interventions. This expanded service portfolio will improve patient health outcomes and bridge potential care gaps, particularly for Medicare beneficiaries.
Furthermore, the collaboration broadens the reach of Express Scripts’ retail pharmacy network by incorporating CPESN’s extensive network of over 3,500 pharmacies across 44 states. This expansion provides Express Scripts members with “new options for care delivery,” enhancing access to critical healthcare services within their communities.
Express Scripts recognizes the vital role independent pharmacies play in the healthcare landscape. “Local pharmacies are the doorway to essential health care for many people, and independent pharmacies are critical to closing gaps in care for many communities,” said Adam Kautzner, president of Evernorth Care Management and Express Scripts, in a press release. “This collaboration with CPESN USA represents a meaningful step forward as we advance on our commitment to deepen relationships with independent pharmacists and remove barriers to quality care at the community level.”
The partnership between Express Scripts and CPESN is envisioned to evolve and encompass additional offerings and services in the future. Notably, the IndependentRx Initiative previously pledged to enhance reimbursements for independent pharmacies that serve as the sole pharmacy within a 10-mile radius of an Express Scripts member. This initiative also included the development of performance-based incentive programs to reward these pharmacies for exceeding expectations. Express Scripts has demonstrably invested millions of dollars to elevate these reimbursements. Additionally, the company expressed its commitment to providing independent pharmacies with more opportunities to integrate into its pharmacy network.
Underscoring the importance of pharmacist feedback in shaping successful initiatives, Stephanie Smith Cooney, senior director of independent pharmacy affairs at Express Scripts and a former independent pharmacy owner, leads the Independent Pharmacy Advisory Committee. Cooney emphasizes the significance of programs like IndependentRx in consistently gathering insights from pharmacists who are at the forefront of patient care.
It is critical that independent pharmacy perspectives are heard and considered across the pharmacy services industry,” Cooney stated in the press release. “Our Independent Pharmacy Advisory Committee provides a forum for this dialogue, and has already produced impactful changes, including this collaboration with CPESN USA, which will elevate independent pharmacists’ work and allow them to focus on providing people with the best care possible.”
By joining forces with CPESN, Express Scripts is making a strategic move to empower independent pharmacies and ensure they remain a cornerstone of the American healthcare system. This collaboration holds the potential to significantly improve patient care, particularly for those with chronic conditions, while strengthening the role of independent pharmacies within communities nationwide.
