Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA), one of the largest retail pharmacy chain, has launched a new solution for its Medicare patients. The solution enables the patients who currently use the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring system to easily visit any of their 9,200 U.S pharmacy locations and fill in their prescriptions.
Walgreens has been the number one retail chain to provide the Dexcom CGM.
Before this Walgreens launch, the patients using Medicare Part B would only access the devices through limited pharmacies, Durable Medical Equipment suppliers, or the manufacturers. This process would usually be more expensive for the patients, or they may not get their devices on time.
Walgreens is actively working with other CGM manufacturing firms to add their products to the revamped Medicare billing solution.
Rick Gates, the Senior vice president at Walgreens, explained that the extensive national coverage of Walgreens helps them to offer the patients as well as the physicians personalized care through easy prescription and information filling at any of their many stores. This Dexcom CGM solution is an example of the company delivering on its promise to continually offer innovative solutions, and particularly for chronic conditions such as diabetes.
The Walgreens Find Care Platform
The inclusion of Dexcom comes after the announcement by Walgreens to expand its Walgreens Find Care platform to include more digital and therapeutic devices for patients with chronic conditions.
The Walgreens Find Care platform centralizes and simplifies all the patients’ information by integrating state-of-the-art health devices and solutions such as the Dexcom G6 CGM. Kevin Sayer, the CEO of Dexcom, explains that based on research done, diabetes patients should obtain the standard care on their intensive insulin therapy as offered by CGM. He further explains that their partnership with Medicare to deliver the Dexcom G6 to the patients enhances diabetes management significantly.
Notably, diabetes patients with commercial insurance for the CGM devices and Medicare Part B can access Walgreens services. However, some may be specific to some specialty medications as well as blood glucose monitoring supplies. The patients incur little to no cost since Walgreens directly bills the insurance companies, with Medicare Part B and qualified commercial insurers.
