Latest news with #CVSPharmacy
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Target Is Opening 8 New Stores in Summer 2025: Here's Where and When
Target has big plans over the next decade, with more than 300 new stores in the works. In the short term, the big-box retailer is opening eight new stores over the summer, a few of which exceed the chain's 125,000-square-foot average. Read More: Check Out: Look for the following new Target locations in July and August. Astoria, New York: July 20 Address: 22-11 31st Street, Astoria, New York 11105 Debuting as the eighth store in the Queens borough is Target's new Queens Astoria location, which is around 41,000 square feet. It includes a CVS Pharmacy and approximately 100 team members are expected to be employed. Find Out: Jurupa Valley, California: August 17 Address: 8063 Mission Boulevard, Jurupa Valley, California 92509 Target's Jurupa Valley, California location — one of the larger new stores — clocks in at 147,000 square feet with 16,000 square feet dedicated to dairy, meat and produce. Approximately 150 team members will be employed. The store includes a CVS Pharmacy, Starbucks Cafe, Apple at Target and Target Optical. Guilford, Connecticut: August 17 Address: 900 Boston Post Road, Guilford, Connecticut 06437 Before now, Guilford, Connecticut didn't have a Target. Now, it has a 78,000-square-foot store staffed by approximately 100 team members to enjoy. Special features include a Starbucks Cafe, a CVS Pharmacy and Apple at Target. Norwalk, Connecticut: August 17 Address: 680 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06854 This 117,000-square-foot store is Norwalk, Connecticut's first Target and will have about 180 team members. Shoppers can enjoy the location's Starbucks Cafe and CVS Pharmacy. Bradenton, Florida: August 17 Address: 725 Lighthouse Drive, Bradenton, Florida 34212 This will be the second Target store in Bradenton. It features 149,000 square feet and is expected to have about 200 team members. Shoppers will enjoy 16,000 square feet of dairy, meat and produce items. Additionally, the larger-than-average store will have Apple at Target, CVS Pharmacy, Starbucks Cafe and Target Optical. Wildwood, Florida: August 17 Address: 5580 Seven Mile Drive, Wildwood, Florida 34785 Wildwood, Florida's Target store is on the larger side, and will likely employ around 140 team members. Of its 136,000 square feet, 16,000 square feet will feature fresh produce, meat and dairy. Shoppers will also find an Apple at Target, CVS Pharmacy and Starbucks Cafe. Flemington, New Jersey: August 17 Address: 325 Route 202, Flemington, New Jersey 08822 Target's Flemington, New Jersey location marks the 53rd store in the state. It's a smaller store at around 74,000 square feet, with an estimated 100 team members. It includes a CVS Pharmacy and a Starbucks Cafe. West Goshen, Pennsylvania: August 17 Address: 985 Paoli Pike, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380 Clocking in at slightly less than Target's average footprint, the West Goshen, Pennsylvania store is around 120,000 square feet, with an expected 120 team members. Shoppers will enjoy the added Starbucks Cafe and CVS Pharmacy. More From GOBankingRates 8 Dollar Tree Items Retirees Need To Buy Ahead of Summer 2025 Clever Ways To Save Money That Actually Work in 2025 10 Cars That Outlast the Average Vehicle This article originally appeared on Target Is Opening 8 New Stores in Summer 2025: Here's Where and When
American Press
26-06-2025
- Business
- American Press
CVS responds to Louisiana lawsuits, says they are 'without merit'
(Special to the American Press) CVS Health is pushing back against claims from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Gov. Jeff Landry that the company engaged in deceptive, anticompetitive practices, calling the state's lawsuits 'without merit' and pledging to defend itself vigorously. In a statement provided to The Center Square, CVS said its communications with Louisiana customers were lawful and did not rely on personal information from the Office of Group Benefits, which manages health benefits for state employees. 'To be clear, we did not use any Office of Group Benefits member information, and we agree with Governor Landry and Attorney General Murrill that OGB data should not be used for this type of outreach,' the company said. 'Our communication with CVS customers, patients and members of the community was consistent with the law.' The company said it launched the messaging campaign to alert customers about a potential disruption in access to its pharmacies, which include 119 retail locations in Louisiana, home delivery services, long-term care pharmacies and specialty pharmacies. 'Our customers were clear: They want access to CVS Pharmacy, and our colleagues were clear: They want to serve their friends, families, and neighbors in Louisiana,' CVS said. The remarks come in response to three lawsuits announced by Murrill, which accuse CVS of misusing prescription-related contact information to oppose a bill in the Legislature, engaging in anticompetitive 'vertical integration,' and using unfair pricing tactics that harmed independent pharmacies across the state. Murrill and Landry argue the July 2025 text message campaign violated consumer privacy and was a deceptive attempt to lobby against House Bill 358, which aimed to limit the power of pharmacy benefit managers such as CVS Caremark. Landry, whose wife received one of the text messages, called the effort an abuse of patient trust. 'Their goal is not to cut costs for patients — it's to inflate profits for shareholders,' Landry said. CVS denied that characterization and defended its business model, which combines pharmacy services, health insurance, and benefit management under one umbrella. 'Our integrated model delivers value to members, patients, customers, and clients by providing better access, affordability, and advocacy for those we serve,' the company said. 'By combining health care delivery, pharmacy, health care benefits, and pharmacy benefit management, we make it easier for people to have what they want the most: a connected care experience.' The company also rejected accusations that its pricing practices are predatory toward independent pharmacies, arguing that its retail pharmacies offer the lowest cost in Louisiana's state contract — an average reimbursement of $141 per prescription, compared to $149 for independent pharmacies. 'Removing CVS Pharmacy from Louisiana will increase the cost to the state by more than $4.6 million,' the company said. CVS further noted that it won the most recent contract to manage the OGB's pharmacy benefits through a competitive bidding process, scoring 5% higher than the second-place bidder. On claims that CVS relies on a foreign-based group purchasing organization to inflate costs, the company said its GPO is based in the U.S. As for the broader effort by the state to regulate PBMs, CVS said, 'A properly functioning competitive market should not mandate higher reimbursement rates to less efficient pharmacies. The result would be an increase in the number of more expensive independent pharmacies and higher costs for consumers.' Murrill maintains that CVS's business model undermines competition and hurts Louisiana communities. 'We've lost pharmacies around our state, and we've had to come in and surround those areas with additional services, sometimes that even costs us more money,' Murrill said. 'So, whatever we can justify we're going to seek.' The lawsuits are part of a wider crackdown on PBMs in Louisiana, which also includes lawsuits against OptumRx and Express Scripts and a new law imposing stricter transparency requirements. Together, the three companies control about 80% of the PBM market nationwide.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Target opening in Hunterdon County accepting job applications
RARITAN TOWNSHIP – Though no opening date has been set, Target has begun posting jobs for its new location in the Flemington Marketplace on Route 202. Construction continues both inside and outside the 75,525-square-foot store formerly occupied by Burlington, which has moved a mile away to the space vacated by Bed Bath & Beyond on Route 202-31. The new "small-format" Target tentatively will also include a CVS Pharmacy and a Starbucks. The posted jobs include cashiers, stock persons, human resources representatives and baristas. Pay ranges between $17 and $25 per hour. More: Branchburg developer unveils Hunterdon County warehouse The shopping center is managed by Levin Management of North Plainfield and is owned by REEP-RTL, part of New York Life Insurance. The Target will be close to Kohl's, one of the anchors, in the 239,000-square-foot shopping center that has 1.7 million annual visits. according to Levin's brochure on the property. The shopping center also has Aldi, Michaels, Panera Bread, Poke Cafe, Hallmark, Verizon and Chili's. The nearest Targets to Flemington are in Bridgewater, Phillipsburg and Watchung. Target, based in Minneapolis, has 2,000 stores in all 50 states. There are 49 in New Jersey. According to USA Today, Target slashed its annual sales forecast on May 21, after a surprisingly sharp fall in quarterly same-store sales, as customers pulled back on discretionary purchases due to ongoing worries about inflation and the economy due to President Donald Trump's trade war. Target also said its first-quarter performance was affected by negative reactions to its pullback on diversity, equity and inclusion policies (DEI) in January, which angered some loyal customers who have long praised the company's commitment to inclusiveness. Email: mdeak@mdeak@ This article originally appeared on Target opening in Hunterdon County NJ accepting job applications
13-06-2025
- Business
Louisiana AG investigating CVS for sending mass text messages lobbying against legislation
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Thursday she is investigating whether pharmaceutical giant CVS improperly used customers' personal information to send out text messages lobbying against a proposed state law. Murrill also said she plans to issue a cease-and-desist letter to the company to stop the messages. As lawmakers debated a now-failed bill on Wednesday they held up screenshots of text messages sent by CVS. 'Last minute legislation in Louisiana threatens to close your CVS Pharmacy — your medication cost may go up and your pharmacist may lose their job,' one such text, obtained by The Associated Press, read. The proposed legislation would have prohibited companies from owning both pharmacy benefit managers and drug stores. The CVS Health Corporation owns retail pharmacies as well as CVS Caremark, one the country's top three pharmacy benefit managers with a market share of more than 100 million members. CVS Caremark and other managers serve as middlemen purchasing prescription drugs from manufacturers and setting the terms for how they are distributed to customers. 'These powerful middlemen may be profiting by inflating drug costs and squeezing Main Street pharmacies,' a 2024 Federal Trade Commission report warned. CVS says on its website that it 'negotiates lower costs for our customers and expands coverage to affordable medications that people need to stay healthy.' The company's text messages to Louisiana residents included a link to a draft letter urging lawmakers to oppose the legislation that someone could sign with their email address and send to legislators. 'The proposed legislation would take away my and other Louisiana patients' ability to get our medications shipped right to our homes,' the letter read. 'They would also ban the pharmacies that serve patients suffering from complex diseases requiring specialty pharmacy care to manage their life-threatening conditions like organ transplants or cancer. These vulnerable patients cannot afford any disruption to their care – the consequences would be dire.' Rep. Dixon McMakin pointed to some of the messages from CVS, saying they were misleading and false. He specifically pointed to ads, that people reported seeing on social media, alleging that lawmakers 'may shut down every CVS pharmacy in the state.' 'No we're not, you liars. Quit being liars. Quit using scare tactics,' McMakin said. Republican Rep. Bryan Fontenot held up his phone, showing that he, too, had received a text message from CVS. 'It's in the same text thread (used) to notify when my prescription is filled,' he said. 'They've now taken that to send me political texts.' CVS sent messages to 'large numbers" of state employees and their families to lobby against proposed legislation involving the company's pharmaceutical benefits manager, Murrill said in an X post. Customers gave CVS their phone numbers to receive pharmaceutical information such as vaccine availability or prescription pick-ups but the company is using this personal information 'for their own personal corporate interests against pending legislation,' Murrill told reporters. 'That's not why anybody gave them their phone number.' Amy Thibault, a spokesperson for CVS, said the texts were the result of a last-minute amendment to the bill Wednesday without an opportunity for a public hearing. The amendment was crafted behind closed-doors by a conference committee — a regular practice utilized in the statehouse when the House and Senate cannot agree on final versions of a bill. 'We believe we have a responsibility to inform our customers of misguided legislation that seeks to shutter their trusted pharmacy, and we acted accordingly,' Thibault said in an email. 'Our communication with our customers, patients and members of our community is consistent with law.' Republican Gov. Jeff Landry has continued to push the bill as the state's legislature concluded Thursday afternoon. The bill, which proponents said would bolster independent pharmacies and reduce the cost of prescription medications, received overwhelming approval in the House, with a vote of 88-4. Among those who voted against the measure was Rep. Mandie Landry. The Democrat said that while she wanted to vote in favor, but she was receiving messages from people in her district urging her not to. She said CVS's lobbying had reached them and as a result they feared that they wouldn't be able to access their medications. 'CVS … you should be so ashamed of this. You are scaring people,' Landry said. The bill ultimately died with the Senate opting not to take it up in the final hour of the 2025 session. Landry said he plans to call a special session in hopes of passing similar legislation. 'Yes we will have a special to lower prescription drugs for our citizens," Landry said a statement. "It's that important.' Brook reported from New Orleans. ___
Int'l Business Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
CVS Under Investigation for Using Customer Data in Political Texts, Says Louisiana AG
The CVS pharmacy logo is displayed on a sign above a CVS Health Corp. store in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 7, 2024. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has launched an investigation into CVS, accusing the pharmacy chain of using customer phone numbers to send political messages without consent. The messages, which reached both private citizens and state employees, warned that a proposed bill could lead to CVS pharmacy closures, higher drug costs, and job losses. Lawmakers criticized the texts, saying they were deceptive and relied on scare tactics to influence people. AG Murrill said CVS may have broken privacy rules by using phone numbers originally given for health-related alerts like vaccine notices or prescription reminders. "That's not why anybody gave them their phone number," Murrill told reporters. She added that a cease-and-desist letter and formal investigative demands have been sent to CVS, AP News said. The bill in question would have banned companies from owning both pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). CVS owns both CVS Pharmacy and Caremark, one of the country's top PBMs, which act as middlemen in drug pricing and distribution. Critics of PBMs argue that they increase costs and hurt small, local pharmacies. CVS Pharmacy's mass text message yesterday is the exact reason we need HB 358 to pass. Abusing patient's sensitive information to push a political message is completely unethical and manipulative and we will not stand for it. I'm calling on @AGLizMurrill to investigate this… — Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) June 12, 2025 CVS Faces Backlash for Mixing Prescription Alerts With Politics Rep. Dixon McMakin slammed the texts from CVS during the debate. "No we're not, you liars. Quit using scare tactics," he said, referring to claims that lawmakers could shut down every CVS in the state. Even Republican Representative Bryan Fontenot shared that he got a political message from CVS in the same text thread that usually sends his prescription updates. "They've now taken that to send me political texts," he said on the House floor. According to ABC News , screenshots of the messages showed links to prewritten letters urging lawmakers to vote against the bill. The letter warned that if the legislation passed, patients with serious illnesses might lose access to vital medications. CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault defended the company's actions. "We believe we have a responsibility to inform our customers of misguided legislation that seeks to shutter their trusted pharmacy," she said in an emailed statement. She claimed the messages were sent because a last-minute amendment to the bill gave the company no time to respond through normal public hearings. The bill passed in the House with a strong 88–4 vote, but the Senate didn't take it up before the session ended. Governor Jeff Landry has vowed to call a special session to revive the legislation. Murrill stated that using personal information collected through a state contract for political messaging is inappropriate and a misuse of data. Originally published on © {{Year}} All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
