News
from the fight to #SaveIndiePharmacy
New York Times’ The Middlemen series
Opinion | All I wanted was a pill refill, but I fell into a rabbit hole
This is a part of life that worked better in the past.
Latest COVID-19 vaccines reach Minnesota amid confusion over who gets them
Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order to preserve COVID-19 vaccine access if federal health advisers opt later this month to discourage some people from getting the shots.
Minnesota pharmacists who refused to administer gender-affirming drugs sue Walgreens
The Christian pharmacists say in their lawsuit they should be able to refuse to prescribe on religious grounds.
UnitedHealthcare dropping some Medicare Advantage plans, affecting 600,000
Stock fell 7% Tuesday as Eden Prairie-based health care giant’s new earnings projections are short of expectations.
DHS: 140,000 Minnesotans could lose health insurance under federal tax cut and spending package
The state released an updated projection of the costs of the Republican-passed bill.
UCare drops Medicaid service to 88,000 people in 11 counties, citing mounting costs
Financial troubles at UCare will force about 88,000 people to switch Medicaid health plans by September, when the Minneapolis-based HMO will stop providing state-funded coverage in Ramsey County and 10 other counties in Minnesota.
Cub pharmacies, Twin Cities grocers facing disruptions in cyberattack on major distributor
UNFI, Cub’s parent company, also distributes food for other area grocery stores like Whole Foods, Kowalski’s and Lunds & Byerlys. It is still working to restore its systems after last week’s breach while its grocers deal with unstocked shelves and immobilized pharmacies.
Ramstad: Soda fountain out, vaccine hub in as St. Paul Corner Drug fights to survive
The century-old fountain closed during the pandemic. Now, pharmacy owner John Hoeschen needs room to administer shots and other services that are the main source of profit for drugstores.
What we lose when chain drugstores replace family-owned independents
When West Seventh Pharmacy closes, St. Paul will lose a piece of history and personal care.
UnitedHealth’s Optum to address pricing, access challenges for prescription drugs
The changes come as pharmacy benefit managers face scrutiny for how they require doctors and patients to seek its approval for certain treatments and drugs.
UnitedHealthcare fined $3.4M by insurance regulators in North Carolina
Insurance regulators in North Carolina fined UnitedHealthcare $3.4 million after a multiyear investigation alleged dozens of instances when the insurer might have let patients wrongly face excessive bills for out-of-network health care.
Eagan’s Prime Therapeutics hit with $10.3M judgment in price-fixing case
Safety net provider alleged pharmacy benefit manager collaborated with a rival to set low payment rates to pharmacies.
1 in 2 Americans affected by UnitedHealth cyberattack, new disclosure shows
Updated tally at Change Healthcare, owned by the Eden Prairie-based health care giant, nearly doubles the number of people affected by the massive data breach.
UnitedHealth Group ordered to pay $165 million over deceptive sales practices
UnitedHealth Group will appeal an order to pay $165 million in penalties and restitution after a judge found a business acquired by the Eden Prairie-based insurer more than five years ago used deceptive practices to sell benefits that supplement traditional health insurance in Massachusetts.
Medicare patient wrongly sent to collections in dispute between two UnitedHealth Group entities
The Minnesota-based insurer said he owed $275. The surgery center in St. Cloud wanted another $3,300. UnitedHealth owns both and is now apologizing.
Drugmakers including Purdue Pharma paid pharmacy benefit managers not to restrict painkiller prescriptions, a New York Times investigation found.