Should-Read: Sarah Kliffe: A health merger expert explains the CVS-Aetna deal

Should-Read: Sarah Kliffe: A health merger expert explains the CVS-Aetna deal: ” Martin Gaynor…. There are a lot fewer ‘vertical mergers’ of actors in the health care system that do different things…

…CVS… one of the country’s largest pharmacy benefit managers… contract with large health insurance plans to manage their drug benefits… sits down and negotiates prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers…. This is the integration between CVS and Aetna that health wonks are especially interested in…. It’s possible this type of merger could actually be good for consumers…. Even if the merger does eliminate some of the costs of a middleman, that doesn’t mean consumers necessarily benefit…. “It could pass merger review, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will end up being a great thing for consumers…”