This post brought to you by Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

Walgreens, in trying to help those patients who have been effected by the situation between Walgreens and Express Scripts, is offering a special discount for an annual membership in the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens. Throughout the month of January, individuals can join for $5 and families can join for $10. Members will receive savings on over 8,000 brand name medications and on all generic medications. Membership is normally $40 for individuals and $35 for families.

Now, in case you have not heard, things have changed somewhat at Walgreens regarding patients that utilize Express Scripts. As of January 1, 2012, Walgreens is no longer a participant in the Express Scripts pharmacy provider network. Walgreens has tried the better part of the past year to negotiate with Express Scripts. Unfortunately for Express Scripts members, the negotiations were unsuccessful. This caused the contract to end on the last day of 2011. This ontract change will effect many of the pharmacy patients that have relied on Express Scripts for their pharmacy needs. These patients are being forced to find another pharmacy so they will be able to use their in-network benefits. This situation has caused (and, most likely, will continue to cause) a great deal of inconvenience for the patients that use Express Scripts. Express Scripts has stated that patients will not see an increase in savings as a result of this situation.

Another unfortunate result of this change is that America’s military service men and women are also going to be effected by this change. Express Scripts is the healthcare program utilized by Tricare for healthcare and prescriptions. Walgreens has offered Express Scripts a guarantee that it would match or beat the average costs of all the other Tricare pharmacies in an effort to prevent those serving our country from being caught in the middle. Unfortunately Express Scripts rejected the negotiation efforts made by Walgreens.

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