State may cut off Walgreens over abortion pill access

Governor Gavin Newsom’s Surprise Announcement Via Twitter California’s announcement Monday that it will no longer do business with pharmacy giant Walgreens caused widespread turmoil in a state where more than a third of the population pays for prescriptions with government-funded health insurance. .

Walgreens Confirmed Last Week In the 20 states that do not distribute abortion drugs, commonly used for miscarriage, face legal backlashThe abortion drug (mifepristone) remains legal in some of these states.But the Republican governors of these states blackmailed walgreens And retail pharmacy executives with legal consequences if they sell pills.

Newsom’s retaliatory tweet spooked statewide health plans and raised a myriad of questions about the ramifications of his decision.

Penny Griego, spokesman for the LA Care Health Plan, the state’s largest Medi-Cal plan, said: Medi-Cal is California’s public insurance option for low-income and disabled people.

Questions also arose as to whether Walgreens would be exempt from state generic insulin distribution.

Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Newsom’s office, said in a statement, “California is reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state. We will not pursue business with companies that yield to advancing their agenda, or that put politics above the health of women and girls.”

No further details were provided and follow-up questions were ignored.

walgreens Operates about 600 stores In California, it accounts for about 10% of the state’s pharmacy market. It is the primary prescription provider for Medi-Cal insurance companies. Walgreens stores are listed on the state pharmacy directory for Medi-Cal enrollees.

In a statement, a Walgreens spokesperson said, “From the beginning, we made clear our intention to be a licensed pharmacy that sells mifepristone wherever legally possible.”

Earlier this year, the FDA announced that retail pharmacies like Walgreens apply for a drug marketing license, something the company is still pursuing. But mifepristone is still legal in his four states where the attorney general threatened his Walgreens, contradicting that statement.

Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen used for medical abortion and is legal in California up to the 10th week of pregnancy. It is also commonly used and part of the recommended treatment for early pregnancy miscarriage. American College of Family Medicine and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

The drug has become the latest flashpoint over abortion rights in the United States. Texas federal judge poised to overturn mifepristone’s FDA approval Used for abortion.Percentage of medical abortions Over half of all abortions in the United Statesaccording to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice policy research group.

Planned Parenthood of California, the local policy arm of the national organization, applauded Newsom’s tweet.

“Planned Parenthood thanks Governor Newsom for his continued strong support for access to abortion and for opposing the anti-abortion movement that will not stop until it is banned and criminalized nationwide,” a spokesperson said. Jennifer Wonnacott told CalMatters.

It is unclear how far California can cut ties with the second-largest U.S. pharmacy chain and how it will permeate consumers, but California will flex its market power and influence. known for With a population of approximately 40 million, California is the most populous state in the United States. Newsom’s threat to stop doing business with Walgreens Potential impact on other pharmaciesbut it also poses troubling access problems for the state.

Nearly 80% of the state’s population lives within five miles of Walgreens, according to the Blue Shield of California. Partnership with Walgreens To make the benefits of medicines and preventive medicine more accessible. Blue Shield did not respond to questions from CalMatters by the deadline.

Blue Shield of California is one of several leading Medi-Cal providers. contract with Walgreens In addition to other companies for pharmaceutical interests, according to their website. Blue Shield and Anthem Blue Cross won multi-million dollar contracts from the health care services sector to provide Medi-Cal coverage to residents of the Central Valley, San Diego, and far north counties with access to health care. We offer perks. It’s already geographically restricted.

The Department of Health Care Services did not respond to questions about whether Medi-Cal contracts would be affected by the decision.

LA Care patients also rely on Walgreens for in-network benefits.

“The first question we faced was, ‘What does this mean for Medi-cal patients who currently have prescriptions at Walgreens stores?’ It’s a question of what to do,” said Susan Bonilla, chief executive officer of the California Pharmacists Association, which represents pharmacists statewide.

Walgreens decision not to distribute abortion pills in some Republican-led states“It was a decision that didn’t put the patient first,” Bonilla said.

“We thank the Governor for standing strong on behalf of women and the access they need,” she said. “

Abortion rights became a key issue for Newsom, and one on which Democrats relied heavily in the last election. Last year, state legislatures and governors signed a package of 12 bills aimed at expanding access to abortion services and protecting patients and providers. Voters also approved a bill to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution.