Newsom tweeted yesterday that California won’t be doing business with Walgreens, “or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk.”
The governor’s move followed the drug store chain’s announcement last week that it will not distribute the medication mifepristone, used for abortions and miscarriages, in the 20 states where abortion is banned or severely limited. Walgreens’ move followed a February 1 letter from GOP attorneys general warning retail pharmacies of legal consequences if they sold the pills.
But Newsom’s tweet took health plans across the state by surprise and raised questions about the consequences, reports CalMatters’ Kristen Hwang and Ana B. Ibarra.
The governor’s office said it was “reviewing all relationships” between Walgreens and the state, but did not provide further specifics.
Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said Monday: “We will not pursue business with companies that cave to right wing bullies pushing their extremist agenda or companies that put politics above the health of women and girls.”
Following the governor’s tweet, Walgreens’ stock price dropped nearly 2%.
The company operates close to 600 stores in California, about 10% of the state’s pharmacy market, and is a key prescription provider for Medi-Cal insurers.
A Walgreens spokesperson said: “From the outset, we have made our intentions clear to become a certified pharmacy to distribute Mifepristone wherever legally possible to do so.”
Newsom’s move also raised questions about whether Walgreens would be excluded from distributing the state’s generic insulin. And Blue Shield of California has a partnership with the company to make its pharmaceutical and preventive health care benefits more accessible.
CalMatters is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
