Key Points
CVS launches chronic care pilot using pharmacists
CVS Health has begun testing an expanded role for pharmacists in chronic disease management, starting with a pilot in five stores in Michigan. The initiative aims to make it easier for people to track key health indicators that are central to conditions such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes.
In the pilot locations, pharmacists are being tried out in a more hands-on clinical role by taking measurements for blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. The concept is intended to help consumers stay on top of their most important health metrics through convenient access inside neighborhood pharmacies.
Objective: improve access and affordability in 9,000 stores
CVS Health’s chief medical officer said healthcare affordability and access could potentially improve if pharmacists across the company’s 9,000 retail stores take a larger role in chronic disease management. By embedding these services where people routinely pick up medications, CVS aims to make monitoring chronic conditions more convenient.
Each year, millions of Americans die from heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions that can be treated with medical attention and appropriate medicines. CVS’s initiative is framed as a way to simplify how people “know their numbers” by integrating basic clinical checks into pharmacy visits.
Regulatory framework and talks with Medicare
In the United States, how far pharmacists can go in providing clinical services is partly determined by state pharmacy regulations, which vary across the country. CVS’s pilot in Michigan is operating within that framework while exploring how pharmacist responsibilities in chronic care could be broadened.
The company is also in discussions with the government’s Medicare agency about how pharmacists might help expand access to healthcare and support lower-cost care models. These talks focus on the potential role pharmacists can play in helping Medicare beneficiaries manage chronic conditions more effectively and affordably.
Context: GLP-1 obesity drugs and cost-focused pilots
Healthcare affordability has been highlighted as a key policy issue, with federal pilots aimed at reducing costs for Medicare enrollees. One such pilot involves expanding access to highly popular GLP-1 medications used to treat obesity, which the government has made available for $50 a month for a limited time through the TrumpRx.gov website.
These GLP-1 medicines, including products from Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk, are viewed by CVS’s medical chief as having “incredible” potential health benefits. She said they have real benefits in decreasing heart disease and kidney disease, while also noting broader interest in achieving better access to such drugs at lower cost.
Key Takeaways
- 01CVS is moving beyond traditional dispensing by testing pharmacists in direct chronic care functions such as taking vital health measurements.
- 02The company sees its 9,000-store footprint as a way to scale low-friction access to chronic disease monitoring if regulatory and operational hurdles are addressed.
- 03Engagement with Medicare and alignment with broader cost-reduction pilots, including GLP-1 drug initiatives, position pharmacists as potential front-line partners in value-focused care.