Curaechoice announced that it has chosen CVS Caremark as its pharmacy benefit manager, with the partnership taking effect on January 1 2026. The deal gives Curaechoice members access to CVS Caremark’s nationwide network of more than 65,000 pharmacies and its mail‑order service, enabling the company’s “no‑cost” benefits model to reach a broader customer base.
The agreement marks a significant expansion for CVS Caremark into the self‑insured employer market, a segment that accounts for a sizable share of pharmacy spend. In 2024, CVS Caremark held 27 % of the U.S. PBM market, trailing Express Scripts (30 %) and Optum Rx (23 %). By securing Curaechoice, CVS Caremark gains a new client base that can help offset recent pressure from Express Scripts’ claim‑volume gains and reinforce its position as a top‑tier PBM.
For Curaechoice, the partnership delivers a critical distribution channel that complements its “no‑cost” benefits promise. CEO Harsha Hatti said the collaboration will “enable our members to access a vast pharmacy network without out‑of‑pocket costs, reinforcing the value of our cost‑control platform.” The deal also positions Curaechoice to compete more effectively against traditional PBMs that offer broader network access but higher copay structures.
Financially, CVS Health has shown robust performance in the last quarter. Q3 2025 revenue rose 7.8 % to $102.9 billion, and adjusted EPS reached $1.60, beating analyst estimates. The partnership aligns with CVS Health’s integrated strategy that combines retail pharmacy, PBM, and insurance (Aetna) services, and it is expected to add incremental revenue from the self‑insured employer segment without significant upfront capital outlay.
The PBM market remains highly concentrated, and the deal is a strategic move to capture market share in a growing employer segment. Analysts note that while the partnership does not immediately translate into large revenue numbers, it strengthens CVS Caremark’s competitive moat and positions the company to capture future growth as more employers adopt “no‑cost” benefit models. Overall, the announcement signals CVS Health’s continued focus on expanding its footprint in high‑margin pharmacy services while supporting employers’ cost‑control objectives.
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