Anthem's pharmacy benefit manager IngenioRx will acquire ZipDrug, a data-driven pharmacy management company.
The acquisition expands IngenioRx's offerings to include a platform that directs consumers to pharmacies with high-performing pharmacies and that offers home prescription delivery, the insurer announced (PDF) Monday.
IngenioRx will offer ZipDrug's services both integrated into its broader PBM platform and as a standalone service, according to the announcement.
“At IngenioRx, our vision is to raise the bar on pharmacy care," said Deepti Jain, president of IngenioRx, in a statement. "And with the acquisition of ZipDrug we’ll be even better positioned to deliver stronger health outcomes for members, lower overall costs for customers, and a more satisfying pharmacy experience for all our stakeholders.”
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Financial terms and a timeline for the deal to close were not disclosed.
Anthem launched IngenioRx in mid-2019, moving up the launch as a result of Cigna's acquisition of the insurer's prior PBM, Express Scripts. Anthem's members will be covered by IngenioRx, and the insurer is also selling the PBM's services to other health plans.
Blue Cross of Idaho was the first third-party plan to sign on with IngenioRx.
The IngenioRx launch tracks with the broader industry trend of higher vertical integration. CVS Health, for instance, after its purchase of Aetna includes a large national plan, a PBM with broad membership and a massive retail footprint. Cigna's purchase of Express Scripts brought the country's largest PBM under the roof of a big national insurer.
The insurance industry's leading force, UnitedHealth Group, is also a massively diverse company that includes a national health plan, pharmacy benefit management, provider services and others.