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The Department of Justice has given preliminary approval to CVS Health to acquire Aetna after the insurance company agreed to sell its Medicare prescription drug plan business to WellCare Health Plans, CNBC reports.

Why it matters: Per Axios' Bob Herman, CVS will soon absorb a gigantic health insurance business into its pharmacies, pharmacy benefit manager and clinics, inevitably affecting the health care and pocketbooks of millions of Americans.

DOJ gives preliminary approval to CVS-Aetna merger

The deal will affect the health care and pocketbooks of millions of Americans.

Thomas Moriarty, executive Vice President and general counsel at CVS Health, and Thomas Sabatino, executive Vice President and general counsel at Aetna. Photo: Drew Angerer via Getty Images

Health Care

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Business

The Department of Justice <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="has given preliminary approval" data-vars-click-url="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-requires-cvs-and-aetna-divest-aetna-s-medicare-individual-part-d" data-vars-content-id="09596095-33f0-4b79-844c-df2501fb32dd" data-vars-headline="DOJ gives preliminary approval to CVS-Aetna merger" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-requires-cvs-and-aetna-divest-aetna-s-medicare-individual-part-d" target="_blank">has given preliminary approval</a> to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="CVS Health to acquire Aetna" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/cvs-strikes-deal-to-buy-aetna-for-69-billion-1513307340-d0321bdd-233b-42db-bf0c-10e677fad8a8.html" data-vars-content-id="09596095-33f0-4b79-844c-df2501fb32dd" data-vars-headline="DOJ gives preliminary approval to CVS-Aetna merger" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/cvs-strikes-deal-to-buy-aetna-for-69-billion-1513307340-d0321bdd-233b-42db-bf0c-10e677fad8a8.html" target="_self">CVS Health to acquire Aetna</a> after the insurance company agreed to sell its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Medicare prescription drug plan business" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/aetna-selling-medicare-drug-business-wellcare-cvs-de18ec25-2baa-4ceb-835e-04803c7694a9.html" data-vars-content-id="09596095-33f0-4b79-844c-df2501fb32dd" data-vars-headline="DOJ gives preliminary approval to CVS-Aetna merger" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/aetna-selling-medicare-drug-business-wellcare-cvs-de18ec25-2baa-4ceb-835e-04803c7694a9.html" target="_self">Medicare prescription drug plan business</a> to WellCare Health Plans, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="CNBC reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/10/department-of-justice-approves-cvs-merger-with-aetna.html" data-vars-content-id="09596095-33f0-4b79-844c-df2501fb32dd" data-vars-headline="DOJ gives preliminary approval to CVS-Aetna merger" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/10/department-of-justice-approves-cvs-merger-with-aetna.html" target="_blank">CNBC reports</a>.Why it matters: Per Axios&#x27; Bob Herman, CVS will soon absorb a gigantic health insurance business into its pharmacies, pharmacy benefit manager and clinics, inevitably affecting the health care and pocketbooks of millions of Americans.

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DOJ gives preliminary approval to CVS-Aetna merger

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