Rep. Cavitt's Call: When Big Pharma Gets Too Big for Main Street Michigan

Photo byRite Aid Media Site

Lansing, Michigan - In a heartfelt call to arms—or rather, prescriptions—State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, took the opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of supporting local pharmacies. This came on the heels of Rite Aid’s announcement to shutter all its Michigan stores, leaving many wondering where their next dose of medication will come from.

Rite Aid's employees, already preparing for the worst, revealed that prescriptions would be transferred over to Walgreens. But wait, there's more bad news: Walgreens has also announced a plan to close a fourth of its 8,600 stores nationwide. And if you were thinking CVS might swoop in to save the day, think again—they’re on track to close another 300 stores this year, after already shutting down 600 in the past two years. It seems the big-box pharmacies are experiencing a collective existential crisis.

"It’s times like these that we have to remember that big-name pharmacies don’t have any actual ties in our communities," Cavitt mused, sounding like a wise village elder. He empathized with the soon-to-be-jobless workers but wasn’t particularly shocked by the closures. According to him, these corporate giants are all about the bottom line, with little regard for the communities they desert like ghost towns.

Officials cited various reasons for the mass closures: lower reimbursement levels for medications, insurance companies tightening the purse strings, the rise of telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and big box stores expanding their pharmacy operations. In other words, a perfect storm of modern conveniences and corporate belt-tightening.

In contrast, Northeast Michigan's independent pharmacies, the unsung heroes of the local healthcare scene, have managed to stay afloat. Cavitt singled out McLean Pharmacy in Rogers City, Modern Pharmacy in Cheboygan, and The LaFave Pharmacy in Alpena as stalwart examples of community commitment. These pharmacies, some of which date back to the 1950s, are more than just businesses; they are pillars of the community, sponsoring t-ball teams and donating to local schools.

Cavitt’s message was clear: When your doctor asks where you’d like your prescription filled, think local. These pharmacies aren’t going anywhere, and they’re not beholden to some distant corporate overlord. They’re your neighbors, your friends, and maybe even your little league sponsors. So, why risk it with a big chain that might close up shop tomorrow?

As Michigan bids adieu to its Rite Aids, Cavitt’s message serves as a poignant reminder: In the battle between local and corporate, sometimes the little guy really is the one you can count on.