January 12, 2023
Kroger pharmacies ended their agreement with Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) effective January 1, 2023. ESI is the pharmacy benefit manager for much of Premera membership, providing online prescription and pharmacy services to Premera members.
The following pharmacies are under the Kroger umbrella* and no longer in-network effective January 1, 2023:
| Baker(s) Pharmacy |
City Market |
Copps Food Center Pharmacy |
| Dillon Pharmacy |
Fred Meyer Pharmacy |
Fry's Pharmacy |
| Gene Maddy |
Gerbes Pharmacy |
Harris Teeter Pharmacy |
| Jay C Plus Pharmacy |
King Sooper Pharmacy |
Mariano's Pharmacy |
| Metro Market Pharmacy |
Owen's Pharmacy |
Payless Pharmacy |
| Pick N Save Pharmacy |
Postal Prescription Srvs |
QFC Pharmacy |
| Ralph's Pharmacy |
Scott's Pharmacy |
Smith's Food And Drug; Smith's Pharmacy |
| Kroger Specialty Infusion |
Kroger Specialty Pharmacy |
Axium Healthcare De Puerto Rico |
For many members, this means that Kroger pharmacy claims will now be rejected at the pharmacy counter. Those with out-of-network pharmacy coverage can choose to pay out-of-pocket and submit a claim for reimbursement. We encourage members to sign in to the Premera member portal to find other local, in-network pharmacy options.
Express Scripts also offers prescription home delivery, which may be more convenient.
ESI has over 30 years of prescription home delivery experience and shipped over 64 million prescriptions in 2022 across the United States and its territories. ESI ensures packaging is confidential, tamper evident and weather resistant. For medications requiring temperature controls, ESI takes specific measures to ensure the medication arrives on time and unspoiled. These measures include specialized packaging and leveraging propriety software to map the ideal journey from pharmacy to member homes.
For members living in very rural locations, ESI considers the shipping and destination zip codes, temperature while in transit and manufacturer specifications. ESI partners with multiple carriers to ensure timely delivery regardless of patient location.
To learn more, contact your Premera account representative.
*Any added impact caused by Kroger’s plans to merge with Albertsons is unknown. The deal is not expected to close until early 2024, pending regulatory and anti-trust review.