CVS Health profits dipped in the third quarter as the pharmacy chain continues to deal with the narrowing of insurer networks that exclude its pharmacies and its stores in the southeastern U.S. recover from recent hurricanes. If CVS decides to buy Aetna it could open the pharmacy chain up to millions of new customers . Health insurers are increasingly moving to narrow networks of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies that limit choices so they can control costs and more closely monitor quality. The pharmacy benefit manager Prime Therapeutics, for example, signed a deal that made Walgreens Boots Alliance the preferred pharmacy in Prime's drugstore networks effective this year. CVS executives wouldn’t comment Monday during the company’s third quarter earnings call that lasted an hour and 15 minutes about any deal rumors, citing company policy.

Source: Forbes November 06, 2017 14:42 UTC