MUSKEGON, Mich. — A HomeTown Pharmacy location in Muskegon has permanently closed its doors, leaving some longtime customers surprised and unsure about where they’ll get their medications.
WATCH: Muskegon pharmacy suddenly closes, leaving customers searching for answers
Kristin Whiteman was picking up medications for herself and her family Wednesday when she discovered the pharmacy was closed.
Whiteman said she had been using HomeTown Pharmacy for about five years and appreciated the personal, small-town feel of the business.
“They always knew when I came up who I was here for,” she said.
The Muskegon location was one of four HomeTown pharmacy locations that closed this week. The other three closures were in the Traverse City area.
In a statement, HomeTown Pharmacy said the closures were primarily driven by what it described as ongoing financial strain caused by pharmacy benefit manager, or PBM, reimbursement practices.
The company said independent and regional pharmacies, like HomeTown, are increasingly being forced to compete in a market where PBMs have significant influence over drug pricing, reimbursement, network participation and patient access.
HomeTown Pharmacy said those challenges led the company to close some of its metropolitan locations.
For customers like Whiteman, the closure raises concerns about what comes next, particularly when she needs a medication that can be difficult to find.
Signs posted outside the Muskegon pharmacy tell customers that their prescriptions have been transferred to the Walgreens located at 1171 E. Sherman Blvd. in Norton Shores.
Click here for a HomeTown Pharmacy updated location list.
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