Rite Aid

What Will Rite Aid Need to Do to Recover from Bankruptcy?

Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday amid decreasing sales, billions of dollars in debt and more than a thousand lawsuits claiming the chain filled illegal prescriptions for opioids. In order for the company to get back on its feet, experts say it will have to start acting more like its competitors, such as Walgreens and CVS, by leaning more into care delivery, forging strong payer partnerships, and improving its digital offerings.

By Katie Adams

Legal

Abortion Pill Access in 2023: A Timeline

Mifepristone and misoprostol, two pills that are taken together to terminate a pregnancy, have been approved by the FDA since 2000. But access to these drugs have been in serious jeopardy this year, and a federal judge in Texas recently ruled to suspend the FDA's decadeslong approval of mifepristone. The final outcome for abortion pill access in the U.S. is still unclear among confliction federal rulings — the issue will likely end up in the Supreme Court.

By Katie Adams

With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?

Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.

Legal

US Sues Rite Aid for Ignoring Glaring ‘Red Flags’ in Opioid Prescriptions

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Rite Aid, accusing the pharmacy chain of filling hundreds of thousands of opioid prescriptions that had “obvious, and often multiple, red flags.” The DOJ claimed that Rite Aid violated the Controlled Substances Act by filling unlawful prescriptions for addictive drugs, as well as the False Claims Act when the chain sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs for these prescriptions.

By Katie Adams

Pharma, Health Tech, Health Services

Rite Aid appoints digital health vet as CEO of struggling pharmacy chain

Donigan holds little experience in retail, instead serving as a executive at payers like Cigna and Premera Blue Cross and most recently as CEO of Sapphire Digital, a healthcare technology company that helps patients connect to high quality providers.

By Kevin Truong

Health Services, Startups, Health Tech

Rite Aid launches new retail-based telehealth kiosks with InTouch Health

Through the company's line of RediClinic retail clinics, customers will be able to use InTouch Health's virtual care software to connect with clinicians for video visits through available RediClinic Express kiosks.

By Kevin Truong

Policy, Pharma

Here’s how companies like CVS, Amazon and Cigna are taking up the banner to end the opioid crisis

The opioid epidemic has become one of the largest healthcare priorities of the Trump Administration and one of the limited areas in the country's fractured political system where bipartisan support can be found.

By Kevin Truong

Hospitals, Pharma

CVS, Cleveland Clinic expand affiliation as pharmacy-health system collaborations catch on

CVS Health and Cleveland Clinic have expanded their eight-year clinical affiliation. But they're not the only ones teaming up — health systems and pharmacies are increasingly finding ways to work together.

By Erin Dietsche

Pharma

Walgreens has nixed the Rite Aid deal and will buy 2,000+ stores instead

The original agreement between Walgreens and Rite Aid is no more. Rather, Walgreens will pay $5.175 billion to purchase 2,186 Rite Aid stores.

By Erin Dietsche

MedCity Influencers, Health IT

HIPAA enforcement trends target pharmacies for privacy failings

Pharmacies have continued to be hit with OCR investigations and massive fines for breaches of protected health information.

Health Services

Maximize Revenue and Patient Care with Strategic Weight Loss Management

We will highlight Build My Health's revenue practice management tools, which could help physician practices add up to $250,000 to their practices.

By Build My Health and MedCity News

Top Story

5 must-read stories this week: Rite Aid acquires HealthSpot assets and digital health snake oil debate

Every week, we compile the most popular and interesting stories on MedCity News. Among the highlights this week were Rite Aid's acquisition of HealthSpot's assets and a counterargument to a comparison of digital health developers to snake oil salesmen.

By Stephanie Baum

Health IT

Rite Aid picks up bankrupt HealthSpot’s assets for just $1.15M

Monday's auction for the assets and intellectual property of bankrupt telehealth company HealthSpot didn't last long, nor was it "frothy," as the bankruptcy trustee had predicted.

By Neil Versel

Health IT