Walmart Opting Out of CVS Pharmacy Network

Walmart has announced that they do not plan to renew their contract with CVS Caremark, which means they will no longer be participating in the Exclusive Choice and national networks that are offered as part of the NRECA Medical Plan’s pharmacy benefit. Please note that Walmart’s Sam’s Club division will remain in-network. CVS Caremark has requested that Walmart continue to fill prescriptions on an in-network basis through April 30, 2019.  

We are working with CVS to get more information as it becomes available and will share more details at that time. CVS assures us they remain open to continuing timely, good-faith negotiations with Walmart in the hopes of reaching an agreement to provide quality pharmacy care at a reasonable cost.

While CVS has had a long relationship with Walmart as a low-cost provider in their national network, based on their commitment to help consumers manage rising pharmacy costs, CVS could not agree to Walmart’s recent demand for an increase in reimbursement.

NRECA’s priority is to ensure our medical plan participants do not have a disruption in prescription coverage and that their transition to a new pharmacy is simple and as convenient as possible. Participants affected by this network change will be notified by CVS and provided with information to help them identify nearby in-network pharmacies along with a reminder about the CVS mail order option.