"As long as the big three PBMs go unchecked, more pharmacy deserts will appear," Rochol said. Between 2023 and 2024, independent pharmacies in the CVS Caremark pharmacy network were reimbursed 67.5% higher on average than CVS Pharmacy locations, and 51.9% higher than other chain pharmacies in the state. The CVS spokesman also said that CVS pharmacies are not all serviced by Caremark, working with over 70 different PBMs. "There are unfortunately many factors for pharmacy closures in rural areas, including population declines and the growing use of online pharmacies." But Banas believes the pharmacy deserts will only grow, and lead to an increase the number of apps and digitization.

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Persons: Rochol, Miranda Rochol, Health —, —, Joyce Dingman, wasn't, Nickerson, David Nickerson, Tim Wentworth, Greg Lopes, Steven C, Anderson, Colin Banas, Banas, it's, Tamera Hughes, Hughes, Rob Anderson Organizations: FTC, Health, Federal Trade Commission, Aids, Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, Cigna, Walgreens Boots, CVS Pharmacy, Caremark, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, National Community Pharmacists, National Association of Chain Drug, U.S, Congress, Amazon, University's, of Pharmacy, Pharmacists, Aid Locations: United States, PBMs, New Lebanon, Ohio, Dayton, New Lebanon's, Rust, New Lebanon , Ohio, Georgia, NACDS