Pharmacy closures have been a problem for years. “You had a routine: You would go to a pharmacy that was geographically accessible — ideally affordable — was probably preferred for your health insurance plan. Thompson, who himself lives close to a pharmacy in the South Side, said there is now more pressure on remaining locations. But chain closures aren’t likely to lead to more business for independents, which face challenges apart from competition from national chains. Recently, pharmacy workers have been staging walkouts over working conditions they say put patients at risk.

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Persons: drugstores, Jenny Guadamuz, ”, “, Guadamuz, Melvin Thompson, Thompson, We’re, Angus Mordant, Omolola Adepoju, University of Houston’s Tilman J, Douglas Hoey, PBMs, Hoey, JC Scott, ” Hoey Organizations: New, New York CNN, CVS, Walgreens, Aid, UC Berkeley School of Public Health, Health Policy, Management, Endelo Institute, Bloomberg, Getty, National Community Pharmacists Association, USC, University of, Fertitta Family College of Medicine, Rite, Walmart, Target, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association Locations: New York, Chicago, United States