Walgreens turning away thousands after negotiations with prescription service provider fails

GLENDALE, AZ - Retired Serviceman Bruce Montgomery just discovered he's one of tens of thousands of patients who will have to find a new pharmacy and it won't be his neighborhood Walgreens in Glendale.

"There's nothing you can do,” said Montgomery. “You just got to live with it, but I know everybody here and they know me and it's convenient to stop here on the way home from my doctor's office."

At the end of December contract talks between Walgreens and prescription service provider Express Scripts broke off. 

"When the middle man is making more than the provider, then the business relationship is out of balance and that's where we find ourselves with Express Scripts," said Kermit Crawford, President of Pharmacy, Health and Wellness Service and Solutions with Walgreens.

Crawford said the company has added staff and set up a 1-800 line as well as a website to help customers transfer their prescriptions out of its stores.

"We are prepared to handle our customers and help them where needed," said Crawford.

"Everyday is just a bigger disappointment in losing those customers, but Walgreens did everything to continue talks right up to the last minute," said Janet Safranske, a pharmacist with Walgreens in Glendale.

But Express Scripts told ABC15, Walgreens ended negotiations several months ago.

"Walgreens walked away from negotiations back in June and said at that time it would no longer be in our network starting January 1, 2012," said Brian Henry with Express Scripts.

Meanwhile pharmacists, like Safranske, are helping patients transfer his prescriptions.

"It took me over an hour and a half to move six prescriptions transferred from Walgreens to Express Scripts," said Montgomery. "It used to be the doctor’s office would just call here (Walgreens) and the prescriptions would be ready, now they have to fax them to Express Scripts and I have to wait up to seven days for them to come in the mail."

"With over 56,000 pharmacies in our network, there are plenty of convenient options for members," said Henry. "Many of these are in the same locations that our members are already going, such as grocery stores or mass merchandisers like Target or Walmart."

Safranske said most patients will know if they're affected by just looking at their insurance provider card.

"There will be an Express Scripts logo on the back and if you're not sure you can come to the pharmacy and we'll let you know," said Safranske.

"Switching a prescription to a new pharmacy is easy - all patients need to do is bring their old prescription to their new pharmacy. Their new pharmacist will be happy to take care of the rest," added Henry.

Read more.

Meantime Montgomery is hoping the two companies will reach an agreement so he can continue going to his neighborhood Walgreens.