CVS, Aetna merger gets OK

The Justice Department this week approved the $69 billion merger between CVS Health and Aetna.

And already some are questioning whether the consolidation will leave American consumers with less control over the cost of their medical care and prescription drugs.

“The approval marks the close of an era, during which powerful pharmacy benefit managers brokered drug prices among pharmaceutical companies, insurers and employers,” The New York Times reported. “But a combined CVS-Aetna may be even more formidable. As the last major free-standing pharmacy manager, CVS Health had revenues of about $185 billion last year, and provided prescription plans to roughly 94 million customers. Aetna, one of the nation’s largest insurers with about $60 billion in revenue last year, covers 22 million people in its health plans.”

For their part, CVS and Aetna say the merger will help them tighten cost controls.



New owners

Limberlost Diner in Geneva has new owners.

Mike and Sara Roll and Summer and Travis Shaneyfelt have acquired the business from Tammy Hodle.



Veep named

Shawn M. Walsh has been named the new vice president of information systems at Swiss Village in Berne. He will take on his new duties Oct. 29.

A South Adams High School graduate, he holds a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from DeVry Institute of Technology in Columbus, Ohio.

A lifelong resident of Berne, Walsh was a software developer for Smith Brothers Furniture and most recently has been a consultant for Godlan Inc. of Michigan.

“I have two family members who are multi-year residents of Swiss Village — and my son has been employed there for over two years — so I have firsthand experience with the mission of Swiss Village and the superb quality of care provided to its residents,” Walsh said in a prepared statement.



Three winners

Three customers of Ardagh Group, the parent of glass container plants in Dunkirk and Winchester, have been named winners in the Clear Choice Awards presented by the Glass Packaging Institute.

The winners were Wicked Weed Brewing’s 500ml Sour, McIlhenny Company’s Tabasco brand Diamond Reserve Pepper Sauce and Monster Energy Company’s Caffé Monster.

The beer bottle Ardagh Group manufactured for Wicked Weed Brewing won GPI’s Clear Choice Award in the Beer, Cider and Flavored Alcoholic Beverage category. The glass bottle Ardagh Group manufactured for McIlhenny Company won GPI’s Clear Choice Award in the Food category. The Newcomer to Glass Packaging category was awarded to the unique glass bottle Ardagh Group manufactured for Monster Energy Company.

The winning glass containers were selected by an independent panel of food and beverage packaging professionals.



Thousand jobs

Sweetwater Sound has announced a $76 million expansion at its Fort Wayne facility that is expected to create about 1,000 new jobs.

Sweetwater is a major retailer of musical instruments and audio gear.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered the company up to $8.8 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants.