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What We're Reading: Walgreens—Rite Aid Deal; Hepatitis Outbreak in LA; Governors on Cassidy-Graham
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FTC Approves Walgreens
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Rite Aid Deal
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. has been trying to buy Rite Aid Corp. stores for 2 years, and it has finally gotten approval. According to Bloomberg, Walgreens reduced the number of stores it would buy and the price of the deal to get the Federal Trade Commission to approve the deal. Walgreens will buy 1932 Rite Aid stores for $4.38 billion, making it a bigger competitor to CVS Health Corp. Despite approval, 1 of the commissioners still raised concerns that the deal would reduce competition and increase prices for generic drugs.
Los Angeles Declares Hepatitis A Outbreak
The city of San Diego has been dealing with a hepatitis A outbreak so bad it was declared a local public health emergency, and now Los Angeles has its first cases. So far, only 10 people have been infected in Los Angeles County, compared with the 450 in San Diego, reported Los Angeles Times. Homeless people are most at risk, so Los Angeles will inspect homeless encampments to improve sanitation. It also plans to distribute 40,000 vaccinations of hepatitis A to homeless people in the county. Efforts to battle the outbreak are expected to last months.
Cassidy-Graham Faces Governor Opposition
With the Senate rushing forward to pass a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act before the end of September, 11 governors have stepped up to voice opposition to the latest bill. The New York Times reported that 11 governors—5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 1 independent—are urging senators to reject the bill. Independent Bill Walker, governor of Alaska, may have the most sway over his senator, Lisa Murkowski, who voted against repeal bills in the past and may be the swing vote. The bill also faces stiff opposition from AARP, the American Medical Association, and the American Hospital Association.
