Corporate Research Group’s Weblog

A while back (in the wake of WellPoint’s sale of its pharmacy benefit management unit), we reported that Cigna was shopping its PBM (here) and that Aetna was reportedly doing the same (here).  Cigna officials confirmed at the annual UBS healthcare conference this week that its PBM unit was no longer on the block, citing the likelihood of minimal upside for cost efficiencies from selling the unit and contracting out PBM services.  “Our PBM is very well run,” said Cigna chief financial officer Annmarie Hagan.  As for Aetna, chief financial officer Joseph Zubretsky confirmed that the company never confirmed it was shopping its PBM.  He did say that the unit was meeting its earnings goals.