FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pharmacy Chain Unveils Nation’s First Subscription Program Proven to Boost Medication Adherence 29 Percent
Flat-fee “AdherePlus” bundles generics, smart refills and clinical outreach; early data show 10 extra days of therapy per member each month
CINCINNATI – November 21, 2025
Kroger Health Pharmacy today announced the nationwide rollout of AdherePlus, a subscription service that gives patients unlimited access to more than 100 generic chronic-care medications for one monthly fee of $4.99 while automatically synchronizing refills and connecting members to clinical pharmacists. The launch arrives as new peer-reviewed evidence shows pharmacy subscription models can reverse the $500 billion annual toll of medication non-adherence.
A study of 5,003 patients enrolled in a comparable program published in JAMA Network Open this year found that membership increased days on therapy by 10.39 per person per month and lifted refill rates 29 percent, while cutting out-of-pocket costs 30 percent ([read the study](https://www.drugtopics.com/view/study-finds-association-between-pharmacy-subscription-and-reduced-medication-cost)) . Kroger’s pilot mirrored those results: among 1,200 Ohio and Kentucky diabetics and hypertensives, adherence—measured by proportion of days covered—rose from 64 % to 81 % within six months, according to internal claims shared with Drug Topics.
“Non-adherence isn’t a will-power problem; it’s a design problem,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “AdherePlus removes the two biggest barriers—cost volatility and refill friction—while keeping a pharmacist in the loop. Our early data show members are staying on therapy longer and, critically, showing improved blood-pressure and A1c control.”
The service, now live in all 2,250 Kroger-owned pharmacies across 35 states, covers medicines for diabetes, hypertension, depression, asthma and hyperlipidemia. After a one-time enrollment, prescriptions are synchronized into a single monthly bundle delivered free by mail or prepared for curbside pickup. Members receive HIPAA-compliant text reminders, and if a dose is missed or a refill is delayed, Kroger’s clinical team intervenes within 24 hours.
Market dynamics favor the model. IQVIA estimates 66 % of U.S. adults are on at least one chronic medication, yet 40 % of those prescriptions are abandoned by the third fill. The Centers for Disease Control links such gaps to 125,000 preventable deaths annually. Subscription offerings like AdherePlus align with payer and employer priorities: CVS Health projects that every 1 % uptick in adherence saves $1.24 in downstream medical costs per member per month.
Kroger will report quarterly adherence metrics to outside researchers at the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, which is independently auditing the program through 2027. Initial findings are scheduled for presentation at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists mid-year meeting in December.
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