Walgreens to drop Tricare prescriptions on Jan. 1
Published: December 30, 2011
WASHINGTON — Walgreens pharmacies will no longer accept Tricare insurance after Saturday, meaning those covered by Tricare must either pay for prescriptions out of pocket or fill them elsewhere. The change is the result of a months-long fight between the nationwide chain and Express Scripps, the company that handles Tricare pharmacy orders.
In a news release this week, Defense Department officials said troops and their dependents will still have plenty of options to get their medications, including military pharmacies on bases and 56,000 other network pharmacies.
Walgreens customers have been receiving information on the change for months, but officials from both sides had been optimistic that a deal might be reached before the Dec. 31 deadline. The two companies have been fighting over compensation and reimbursement rates.
Now, a resolution appears unlikely. Officials from Express Scripps earlier this year said nearly 1 million military prescriptions were being filled by Walgreens pharmacies.
