By IL Public Radio
St.. Louis, MO – Two of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit management companies are combining forces.
The merger of Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions would create the largest company of its kind in the country. In 2010, the two companies handled a combined one point seven billion prescriptions and reported 110 billion in revenue.
Express Scripts' chief spokesman Larry Zarin says the merger will lead to 100 billion in savings by streamlining areas like the supply chain and research and development.
But he refused to discuss the possibility of layoffs. "Today is not the day to talk about that. Today is the day to look forward to a really new chapter, a new era in terms of developing solutions."
Express Scripts employs 13-thousand people. New Jersey-based Medco has 20-thousand employees.
