‘Squad’ Democrat Pressley slams Walgreens for closing locations in minority communities: ‘Demand answers’
By
Peter Cordi
February 1, 2024 1:47 pm
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) blasted Walgreens Pharmacy for closing locations in minority communities, following the company’s announcement that it will close its location in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.
The “Squad” Democrat said on the House floor on Tuesday that she joined with Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to “demand answers” from Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth.
“Shame on you, Walgreens,” Pressley said. “Walgreens is a multibillion-dollar corporation that needs to put their money where their mouth is and stop divesting from black and brown communities.”
“Having a website with talking points about health equity and underserved communities is not enough,” she said.
Megan Boyd, a spokeswoman for Walgreens, apologized for the “inconvenience” caused by the decision and explained that “Roxbury’s closure was due to several factors including the cost of operating, low prescription volume and low reimbursement rates.”
“Walgreens is committed to health equity and nearly half of our stores we operate in the greater Boston area are in neighborhoods that have been traditionally underserved,” Boyd told the Washington Examiner, describing the efforts Walgreens made to “ease the transition.” This included the transfer of patients’ prescriptions, offering free same-day delivery for 90 days, helping customers through its mobile application and rewards program, and delaying the initial store closure by two weeks.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2831525/squad-democrat-pressley-slams-walgreens-for-closing-locations-in-minority-communities-demand-answers/