Newest threat to Massachusetts – Pharmacy closings on the rise
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Newest threat to Massachusetts – Pharmacy closings on the rise
Are Boston Ma pharmacies closing?
Yes, pharmacies are closing in Massachusetts at an alarming rate 1,134 pharmacies have closed since 2019.
The state experiencing a significant and ongoing wave of closures. Since 2018, nearly 370 pharmacies have closed in the state, with the period of 2024-2025 seeing the largest number of closures and smallest number of openings during a recent study period.
The state experiencing a significant and ongoing wave of closures. Since 2018, nearly 370 pharmacies have closed in the state, with the period of 2024-2025 seeing the largest number of closures and smallest number of openings during a recent study period.
Key Details on Closures
- Significant Decline: There has been a 17.1% decline in the number of pharmacies in Massachusetts since 2019, from 1,134 to 940 locations as of late 2025.
- Major Chains: National chains like Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS have all shuttered numerous locations across the state as part of nationwide restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings.
- Rite Aid has closed all of its Massachusetts locations as part of its full national shutdown in October 2025.
- Walgreens has closed multiple stores, including locations in Boston (Dorchester), Cambridge, Easthampton, Fairhaven, and others, with plans for more closures nationally.
- CVS has also closed stores in Massachusetts as part of a plan to close 900 locations nationwide over several years.
- Independent Pharmacies: Independent and grocery-based pharmacies have also been heavily affected, struggling with financial viability due to low reimbursement rates and competition.
Impact
These closures have created “pharmacy deserts” across the state, where residents lack easy access to medications and other essential health services.
- Over half a million Massachusetts residents (about 8.3% of the population) currently live in a pharmacy desert.
- Urban areas have been hit particularly hard, including parts of Springfield, Boston, New Bedford, and Worcester.
- The closures disproportionately affect low-income and predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods, where residents may rely on public insurance with lower reimbursement rates for pharmacies.
Reasons for Closures
The primary reasons cited for the closures include:
- Low reimbursement rates for prescriptions from pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
- Increased operating costs and a difficult financial environment.
- Competition from online retailers and larger corporations.
- The overall financial struggles and debt of major chains like Rite Aid.
In response to this trend, Massachusetts lawmakers are making efforts to regulate PBMs and address the issue of pharmacy deserts.
