Is Accredo a subsidiary of Cigna?

Accredo is a wholly owned subsidiary within a chain: Accredo sits under Express Scripts, which operates in Evernorth Health Services, which is part of The Cigna Group. It retains its own pharmacy licenses and operating identity.

Is Accredo publicly traded?

Accredo is not separately listed. Its ultimate parent, The Cigna Group, trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker CI.

When was Accredo founded?

Accredo Health, Inc. was incorporated in 1996 in Memphis, Tennessee, to consolidate specialty drug distribution businesses dating to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center programs in the 1980s. It was acquired by Medco in 2005.

Accredo formed through corporate consolidation of Le Bonheur-affiliated companies rather than through a single founder. Its predecessor businesses, Nova Factor and Southern Health Systems, were formed at the Memphis children's hospital.

What is Accredo's market position?

Accredo is one of the three largest specialty pharmacies in the United States, part of the Big 3 with CVS Specialty and Optum Specialty Pharmacy that dispense roughly two-thirds of US specialty drug revenue.

Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

Who Owns Accredo?

Q: What does Accredo dispense?

Accredo specializes in high-cost, complex medications for conditions including cancer, multiple sclerosis, hemophilia, hepatitis C, immune disorders, and rare diseases, including limited-distribution and cell and gene therapies.

Accredo is owned by The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI), a publicly traded American health company headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Accredo operates as the specialty pharmacy of Evernorth Health Services, Cigna's health services division, through its parent Express Scripts. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Accredo dispenses high-cost specialty medications and provides clinical support for patients with complex, chronic, and rare conditions across 15 Therapeutic Resource Centers.

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Parent Company

The Cigna Group

Acquired

2005

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Accredo Timeline

1982

The Cigna Group

Parent company established in Bloomfield, Connecticut, USA

Company Founded

1996

Accredo

Founded by Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center (predecessor programs)

Founded

2005

Acquired by The Cigna Group

The Cigna Group acquired Accredo

Acquired

mass marketUnited StatesOfficial Website

Who Owns Accredo?

Parent Company: The Cigna Group
Ownership Type: Subsidiary
Acquisition Year: 2005
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: NYSE: CI

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Accredo	The Cigna Group	Subsidiary

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Accredo on Amazon

History of Accredo

Founded: 1996
Founders: Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center (predecessor programs)
Acquired by The Cigna Group: 2005

Accredo's roots trace to two Memphis companies formed at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in the 1980s: Nova Factor and Southern Health Systems, which distributed hormone and clotting drugs for children across the American Southeast. Accredo Health, Inc. incorporated in 1996 to acquire and consolidate both businesses, soon adding Hemophilia Health Services.

The company went public in 1999, trading on Nasdaq under the ticker ACDO. In 2004, Accredo allied with Medco Health Solutions to form a specialty pharmacy venture, and in August 2005 Medco acquired Accredo outright for approximately $2.2 billion, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.

The next consolidation wave came in 2012, when Express Scripts acquired Medco for $29.1 billion. Accredo was merged with Express Scripts' own CuraScript specialty operation, retaining the Accredo name as the combined specialty pharmacy. The December 2018 Cigna-Express Scripts merger placed Accredo inside Cigna, and the 2020 creation of Evernorth Health Services gave it its current organizational home.

Under Evernorth, Accredo has organized around 15 Therapeutic Resource Centers staffed by more than 500 specialty-trained pharmacists and 600-plus infusion nurses, supported by nine strategic distribution locations. The operation covers oncology, multiple sclerosis, hemophilia, hepatitis C, immune disorders, and rare diseases, including limited-distribution and cell and gene therapies that manufacturers release through restricted channels.

Recent investment has concentrated on technology: Evernorth's Pharmacy Forward program, launched with a $100 million commitment through 2028, debuted AI-enabled tools through Accredo first, covering prior authorization automation and patient monitoring.

About The Cigna Group

What does The Cigna Group own?
The Cigna Group owns Cigna Healthcare (health insurance products including medical, dental, behavioral health, and vision plans), Express Scripts (pharmacy benefits management), Evernorth Health Services (specialty pharmacy and care coordination), Cigna Dental, Cigna Pharmacy, and Cigna Global Health Benefits. In 2025, the company sold its Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplemental Benefits, Medicare Part D, and CareAllies businesses to Health Care Service Corporation.

Is The Cigna Group publicly traded?
Yes, The Cigna Group is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CI. The company has been publicly traded since its formation in 1982 and is a component of the S&P 500 Index, ranked No. 13 on the Fortune 500.

Who founded The Cigna Group?
The Cigna Group was founded in 1982 through the merger of Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (founded 1865 in Hartford, Connecticut) and Insurance Company of North America (founded 1792 in Philadelphia, one of the oldest insurance companies in America). The company was renamed The Cigna Group in February 2023.

Where is The Cigna Group headquartered?
The Cigna Group is headquartered at 900 Cottage Grove Road, Bloomfield, Connecticut 06002, USA. The company operates in more than 30 markets and jurisdictions worldwide.

How many brands does The Cigna Group own?
The Cigna Group's principal brands are Cigna Healthcare, Express Scripts, and Evernorth Health Services. These umbrella brands cover health insurance, pharmacy benefits management, dental insurance, pharmacy services, and international health benefits.

Who owns The Cigna Group?
The Cigna Group is publicly owned with a dispersed shareholder base. Institutional investors hold the majority of shares, with no single controlling shareholder. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Global Advisors, typical of S&P 500 companies.

What is The Cigna Group's revenue?
For FY2025, The Cigna Group reported total revenues of $274.9 billion, up 11% from $247.1 billion in FY2024. Shareholders' net income was $6.0 billion, or $22.18 per share. Adjusted income from operations was $8.0 billion, or $29.84 per share. For 2026, the company projects adjusted revenues of approximately $280 billion.

Has The Cigna Group made major changes recently?
Yes. In March 2025, Cigna completed the sale of its Medicare Advantage and related businesses to HCSC. In October 2025, Express Scripts announced a new rebate-free PBM model. In February 2026, Express Scripts reached a landmark settlement with the FTC over insulin pricing practices. The company also increased its quarterly dividend to $1.56 per share.

Founded: 1982
Headquarters: Bloomfield, Connecticut, USA
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: NYSE: CI
Revenue: $274.9 billion (FY2025)
Employees: Approximately 67,700

Visit The Cigna Group website

View full company profile for The Cigna Group

Where Is Accredo Made / Based?

Headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Accredo Categories & Tags

Specialty Pharmacy Rare Disease Evernorth Express Scripts Cigna Patient Care

Accredo Recalls & Controversies

Accredo operates under the same regulatory scrutiny facing all PBM-affiliated specialty pharmacies. Critics argue that steering plan members to affiliated pharmacies disadvantages independent pharmacies and can limit patient choice. The FTC's investigations into PBM practices through the mid-2020s covered specialty dispensing across the major players, with reform pressure continuing.

Historically, Accredo's parent lineage has attracted litigation: Medco-era practices predating the current structure drew regulatory attention on disclosure and pricing, resolved through settlements in the 2000s. No material unresolved controversy attaches to the Accredo operation itself as of 2026.

Accredo Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Steady patient flow from Express Scripts and Cigna plan membership
+Clinical depth through disease-specific Therapeutic Resource Centers
+Scale improves limited-distribution drug access from manufacturers
+Evernorth investment in pharmacy technology and automation
+Field nursing network enables home administration of complex therapies

Considerations

-Regulatory pressure on PBM-pharmacy vertical integration
-Patient choice constraints under plan steering designs
-Dependent on parent benefit design rather than open-market competition
-Complex three-level corporate chain obscures accountability
-Independent pharmacy opposition to affiliated dispensing models

Frequently Asked Questions About Accredo

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to Accredo

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Biologics by McKesson	Mckesson	USA	1994	Mass market	United states	All-ages
US Bioservices	Cencora	USA	1994	Mass market	United states	All Genders