NPR Morning Report, November 19, 2021.
Caroline Champlain– CVS says it is planning to close about 900 stores over the next three years, starting in 2022. The company says it’s an effort to review the retail side of its business, and focus on more health care services.
But when it comes to choosing which stores to close, business-driven motivations can be problematic, said USC professor Dima Qato who has studied geographic access to pharmacies.
“We know when pharmacies close, including chains, they’re more likely to close in underserved low-income minority neighborhoods,” Qato said.