Setting the Record Straight on the CVS Threat of Closures

Some of the recent claims have been circulated via text message and mail by CVS, do not reflect the full story. This email serves to give my constituents who I am elected to serve has a true and complete story.

• First and foremost,  CVS has been closing stores across the country for several years as part of its own internal business strategy. These closures are not the result of any legislation currently being considered in Louisiana.

• What many people may not realize is that CVS operates both as a pharmacy and as a Pharmacy Benefit Manager, or PBM. This dual role allows the company to control which drugs are covered, how much pharmacies are reimbursed, and where patients can fill prescriptions. This setup often benefits CVS-owned pharmacies and comes at the expense of independent, community-based providers. As a result, patients face higher costs and fewer choices.

• In fact, while CVS has billed Louisiana’s Office of Group Benefits for nearly one billion dollars annually, the company has closed several stores right here in our community. Locations on Mansfield Road, Bert Kouns, and Hollywood and Hearne have all shut their doors, even as CVS continues to report billions in corporate revenue.

  
  

This raises serious questions about fairness and corporate accountability. I strongly support the investigation announced by the Louisiana Attorney General into CVS’s recent mass text campaign that warned patients of pharmacy closures. Using fear tactics to mislead the public and influence policy discussions is unacceptable.

The legislation was focused on increasing oversight and accountability within the PBM system. It is designed to protect patients, ensure fairness in drug pricing, and support local pharmacies that serve as critical access points for healthcare. It was not designed to limit care.

I remain committed to advancing policies that expand access to care, bring transparency to the prescription drug system, and protect the health and well-being of Louisiana families.

Yours In Service,