A new law could permanently shutter the doors of CVS and other pharmacies for good.
But a federal judge on Monday paused this piece of legislation.
One state may see all its CVS locations shut down.[/caption]
This means that 23 CVS locations will remain in operation throughout Arkansas – at least for now.
“All of our 23 Arkansas stores are currently open and will continue to operate for the immediate future,” a CVS spokesperson said back in May.
“We’re doing everything we can to continue to provide pharmacy services to our 340,000+ Arkansas pharmacy patients,” CVS continued.
The bill in question is known as Act 624.
It’s designed to revoke the pharmacy licenses of companies that operate a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM).
PBMs serve as the middlemen between drug companies, insurers and pharmacies.
They essentially negotiate prescription drug prices.
CVS’s PBM, CVS Caremark, sued Arkansas back in May.
The legal battle is expected to carry on in the ongoing months, according to Supermarket News.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who signed the bill, argues that PBMs have abused their position in order to benefit pharmacies.
“For far too long, drug middlemen called PBMs have taken advantage of lax regulations to abuse customers, inflate drug prices, and cut off access to critical medications,” she said in a statement.
But a CVS spokesperson told Newsweek, “Proponents of the bill have consistently made misleading claims about the need and rationale for this legislation, while downplaying the devastating impact it will have on patient care.”
And even though Arkansas CVS locations will remain open for the time being, several other stores throughout the country have not been so lucky.
PHARMACY DESERTS
Several pharmacies like Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreens have permanently closed down locations throughout the nation.
In fact, the country’s three largest pharmacies are closing 1,700 locations.
These pharmacy giants attribute the closures to various factors including changing customer habits and population shifts.
Rite Aid, one of the country’s largest pharmacy chains, has even filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The pharma giant is looking to close more than 1,000 stores.
Walgreens has closed dozens of stores so far in 2025.
Walgreens Stores Closing in 2025
Walgreens plans on closing stores in 33 states, with the stores on the chopping block subject to change as the chain announces more closures:
California:
- 135 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102.
- 5300 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94124.
- 5280 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118.
- 1750 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122.
- 1630 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, CA 94112.
- 1201 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA 94116.
- 1363 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94115.
- 1189 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110.
- 825 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103.
- 1301 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA 94109.
- 3201 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94123.
- 1524 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109.
- 5055 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609.
- 301 E 18th St, Oakland, CA 94606.
- 3434 High St, Oakland, CA 94619.
- 5809 Foothill Blvd, Oakland, CA 94605.
- 1150 Macdonald Ave, Richmond, CA 94801.
- 4220 Missouri Flat Rd, Placerville, CA 95667.
- 6199 Sunrise Blvd, Citrus Heights, CA 95610.
- 840 El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA 95815.
- 1401 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95818.
- 7155 24th St, Sacramento, CA 95822.
- 275 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94111.
- 3232 Foothill Blvd, Oakland, CA 94601.
Colorado:
- 12051 E Mississippi Ave, Aurora, CO 80012
- 6395 Sheridan Boulevard, Arvada, CO 80003
- 1601 W 84th Ave, Federal Heights, CO 80260
- 6360 E Evans Ave, Denver, CO 80222
- 3555 Colorado Blvd, Denver, CO 80205
- 15301 E Iliff Ave, Aurora, CO 80013
- 3143 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
- 10501 E Colfax Ave, Aurora, CO 80010
- 300 S Federal Blvd, Denver, CO 80219
- 3067 S Sheridan Blvd, Denver, CO 80227
- 4745 Arapahoe Ave STE 120, Boulder, CO 80303
- 1041 Main St, Longmont, CO 80501
- 2608 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206
- 4305 E Platte Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80915
Connecticut:
- 11 Meriden Rd, Waterbury, CT 06705
- 436 Whalley Ave, New Haven, CT 06511
- 161 Washington St, Hartford, CT 06106
- 25 E High St #8, East Hampton, CT 06424
- 200 Westminster Rd, Canterbury, CT 06331
- 940 Quaker Ln S, West Hartford, CT 06110
- 1606 Barnum Ave, Stratford, CT 06614
- 188 Union St, Vernon, CT 06066
Delaware:
- 3301 Lancaster Pike, Wilmington, DE 19805.
- 1900 Maryland Ave, Wilmington, DE 19805.
- 32979 Coastal Hwy, Bethany Beach, DE 19930.
- 124 E Main St, Newark, DE 19711.
- 4201 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803.
Florida:
- 12041 Palm Beach Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33905.
- 2349 N Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32303.
Georgia:
- 1880 Watson Blvd, Warner Robins, GA 31093.
- 3228 Wrightsboro Rd, Augusta, GA 30909.
- 25 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303.
- 5701 Ogeechee Rd, Savannah, GA 31405.
- 595 Piedmont Ave NE Ste 100, Atlanta, GA 30308.
- 25 Peachtree St, Atlanta, GA 30303.
Illinois:
- 3405 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60616.
- 7109 S Jeffery Blvd, Chicago, IL 60649.
- 841 Bloomington Rd, Champaign, IL 61820.
- 9148 S Commercial Ave, Chicago, IL 60617.
- 4005 W 26th St, Chicago, IL 60623.
- 7111 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60636.
- 2515 Knoxville Ave, Peoria, IL 61604.
- 2 N State St 1 1, Chicago, IL 60602.
- 2 E Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60605.
- 3726 W 16th St, Chicago, IL 60623.
- 3401 W Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60624.
- 842 E Main St, Danville, IL 61832.
- 3601 16th St, Moline, IL 61265.
- 7880 Winn Rd, Spring Grove, IL 60081.
- 4000 W 59th St, Chicago, IL 60629.
- 4740 W 95th St, Oak Lawn, IL 60453.
- 222 W Court St, Kankakee, IL 60901.
- 1001 N Main St, Elburn, IL 60119.
Indiana:
- 2410 N Coliseum Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805.
- 10170 Maysville Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46835.
- 102 E Hively Ave, Elkhart, IN 46517.
- 2015 Covert Ave, Evansville, IN 47714.
- 1702 E Spring St, New Albany, IN 47150.
- 100 N Memorial Dr, New Castle, IN 47362.
- 501 E National Ave, Brazil, IN 47834, United States.
- 1195 N State St, Greenfield, IN 46140.
Iowa:
- 606 Walnut St, Des Moines, IA 50309.
- 1805 N Brady St, Davenport, IA 52803.
Kentucky:
- 402 2nd St, Henderson, KY 42420.
- 3312 KY-54, Owensboro, KY 42303.
- 101 E Reynolds Rd, Lexington, KY 40517.
- 3120 Pimlico Pkwy Ste 178, Lexington, KY 40517.
- 951 S Main St, Nicholasville, KY 40356.
- 901 N Main St, Nicholasville, KY 40356.
Louisiana:
- 3747 Moss St, Lafayette, LA 70507.
- 2810 Louisville Ave, Monroe, LA 71201.
Maine:
- 713 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102.
- 123 Main St, Fairfield, ME 04937.
- 461 Main St, Saco, ME 04072.
- 35 Park St, Milo, ME 04463.
- 233 US-1, Scarborough, ME 04074.
Maryland:
- 8701 Georgia Ave Ste 100, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
- 12222 Veirs Mill Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20906.
- 300 Pulaski Hwy, Joppatowne, MD 21085.
- 1300 E North Ave, Baltimore, MD 21213.
- 3700 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD 21211.
- 19 E Fayette St, Baltimore, MD 21202.
Massachusetts:
- 85 Huttleston Ave, Fairhaven, MA 02719.
- 32 Union St, Easthampton, MA 01027.
- 99 Westfield St, West Springfield, MA 01089.
- 324 Hancock St, Quincy, MA 02171.
- 50 Lincoln St, North Adams, MA 01247.
- 707 State St, Springfield, MA 01109.
- 78 Main St, Westfield, MA 01085.
- 7 E Silver St, Westfield, MA 01085.
Michigan:
- 918 Riverview Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49048.
- 14048 Woodward Ave, Highland Park, MI 48203.
- 15411 Southfield Rd, Allen Park, MI 48101.
- 640 N Milford Rd, Milford Charter Twp, MI 48381.
- 3880 Wilder Rd, Bay City, MI 48706.
- 107 Kercheval Ave, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236.
Minnesota:
- 602 S Front St, Mankato, MN 56001.
- 4205 Egan Dr, Savage, MN 55378.
- 4916 France Ave S, Edina, MN 55410.
- 600 County Hwy 10, Blaine, MN 55434.
- 1112 Civic Center Dr NW, Rochester, MN 55901.
- 1274 Town Centre Dr, Eagan, MN 55123.
Mississippi:
- 804 Spring St, Waynesboro, MS 39367.
- 955 N State St, Jackson, MS 39202.
- 204 Hwy 80 W, Clinton, MS 39056.
- 1583 E County Line Rd, Jackson, MS 39211.
Missouri:
- 3720 Kingshighway Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63115.
- 2310 McCausland Ave, St. Louis, MO 63143.
- 1400 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63106.
- 1605 W 7th St, Joplin, MO 64801.
New Jersey:
- 642 Newman Springs Rd suite a ste a, Lincroft, NJ 07738.
- 901 Main St, Asbury Park, NJ 07712.
- 37 Old Hwy 22, Clinton, NJ 08809.
New Mexico:
- 1861 Main St NW, Los Lunas, NM 87031.
- 9700 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112.
New York:
- 50 N Main St, Ellenville, NY 12428.
- 153 Main St, Owego, NY 13827.
- 792 W Main St, Rochester, NY 14611.
- 5651 Whiskey Hill Rd, Wolcott, NY 14590.
- 77 7th Ave, New York, NY 10011.
North Carolina:
- 418 US-264, Belhaven, NC 27810.
- 3333 Silas Creek Pkwy, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.
- 418 N, 418 Marshall St N, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.
- 2019 N Main St, High Point, NC 27262.
- 1812 Holloway St, Durham, NC 27703.
- 456 Conover Blvd W, Conover, NC 28613.
Ohio:
- 4121 vacuum Ave, Dayton, OH 45402.
Oklahoma:
- 950 E Taft Ave, Sapulpa, OK 74066, United States.
- 6000 S Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73159.
- 9011 S Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73159.
- 6505 E 71st St, Tulsa, OK 74133.
- 4400 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73107.
Oregon:
- 210 E Barnett Rd, Medford, OR 97501.
- 2727 NE Hwy 20, Bend, OR 97701.
- 12335 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97230.
- 51670 Huntington Rd, La Pine, OR 97739.
Pennsylvania:
- 1 Yorktown Plz, Elkins Park, PA 19027.
South Carolina:
- 4520 Hard Scrabble Rd, Columbia, SC 29229.
- 6500 Garners Ferry Rd, Columbia, SC 29209.
Tennessee:
- 1725 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916.
- 2 N Main St, Memphis, TN 38103.
Texas:
- 5300 N Braeswood Blvd, Houston, TX 77096.
- 4847 Slide Rd, Lubbock, TX 79414.
- 9705 Spencer Hwy, La Porte, TX 77571.
Utah:
- 7227 S State St, Midvale, UT 84047.
Virginia:
- 3130 Langston Blvd. , Arlington, VA 22201.
Washington:
- 5602 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98408
- 28817 Military Rd S, Federal Way, WA 98003
Wisconsin:
- Wisconsin
- 2625 W National Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204
- 2222 W Capitol Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53206
- 7600 W Capitol Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53222
- 6707 W Hampton Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53218
- 620 W Oklahoma Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215
- 2410 W Forest Home Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53215
- 10800 W Capitol Dr, Wauwatosa, WI 53222
- 1921 S Main St, West Bend, WI 53095
- 4518 Cottage Grove Rd, Madison, WI 53716
- 20 W Pioneer Rd, Fond du Lac, WI 54935
- 5201 N 91st St, Milwaukee, WI 53225
- 2826 N Doctor M.L.K. Jr Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53212
- 1720 W Washington St, West Bend, WI 53095
- 101 N Center Ave, Merrill, WI 54452
Source: Irish Star
Now, experts are warning of pharmacy deserts across the United States.
One report claimed nearly 50 million people now lack adequate access to a pharmacy.
