Aetna bid pushes CVS deeper into homes

A drugstore chain that used to hawk cigarettes behind the front counter now wants to offer nutrition advice and work with your doctor to keep you healthy.

CVS Health says it wants to use its roughly $69 billion acquisition of the insurer Aetna to dive deeper into managing customer health, with its nearly 10,000 stores becoming “front doors” for care. The companies plan to expand the health services offered through CVS locations and get more involved in helping patients stay on their medicines or manage their chronic conditions.

The deal announced Sunday will pair the secondlargest U.S. drugstore chain with the third-largest health insurer. Here’s how it will likely play out.

Q: How will stores change?

A: The deal pushes CVS further down a path it started years ago when it began adding clinics to its stores and later quit selling tobacco. Over time, CVS plans to bulk up the health care services it offers through its stores and the space it devotes to them.

CVS leaders think its vast footprint — nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population lives within 3 miles of a CVS pharmacy — gives it an opportunity to build a deeper relationship with customers.

Q: Are they trying to replace my family doctor? A: CVS wants to complement doctor care, CEO Larry Merlo said Monday during a conference call to discuss the deal.

Q: When will this deal close?

A: The companies expect that to happen in the second half of next year. However, it still has to pass federal antitrust scrutiny.

Aetna has a rough record with that. The Department of Justice sued to stop its roughly $34 billion acquisition of fellow insurer Humana. That deal fell apart earlier this year.