CarelonRx, a subsidiary of Elevance Health, has purchased Kroger Specialty Pharmacy from The Kroger Co.
“Kroger Specialty Pharmacy has been part of our company since 2012, and we want to thank our management team and associates for their enduring commitment to their patients,” Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health, said in a March 19 press release.
“As part of our regular review of assets, it became clear that our strong specialty pharmacy business unit will better meet its full potential outside of our business. One of the most important considerations was continued operations to ensure minimal disruption to our associates and patients. We are confident this transaction will help the business to grow and deliver better results for patients. We look forward to working toward a smooth transition for associates and patients.”
The Kroger Co.’s specialty pharmacy was described as serving “patients with chronic illness that requires complex care. Skilled clinicians and superior therapy programs allow patients and prescribers to benefit from education and resources, counseling, side effect management, financial assistance, personalized care and administrative expertise. The specialty pharmacy business supports patients facing diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, growth hormone deficiencies, multiple sclerosis and bleeding disorders.”
The specialty pharmacy division is separate from the Kroger family of pharmacies, the announcement said, so Kroger in-store retail pharmacies and The Little Clinics — walk-in clinics located within Kroger retail stores — were not part of the transaction.