To make it easier for patients to take advantage of the PSC, Walgreens says it is offering a promotion during the month of January on one-year memberships that is available to all PSC eligible customers. The program offers savings on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications. For more than 400 generic medications, Walgreens offers a three-month supply for less than $1 a week.

The PSC card promotion is part of a comprehensive national effort by Walgreens to help patients who are covered by an Express Scripts pharmacy network continue using Walgreens when possible or make a smooth transition to another community pharmacy.

"Our pharmacy patients have come to depend on their longstanding, personal relationships with their trusted Walgreens pharmacists, and they don't want to give that up, especially without any meaningful cost savings to justify this needless hardship," said Kermit Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness solutions and services. "We offered in our contract negotiations with Express Scripts to keep rates flat, and Express Scripts itself has stated that the elimination of Walgreens from its pharmacy network will not provide any reduction in costs for clients."