The store in Lisbon Falls will be among the nine affected by the change on Feb. 7.

CAMP HILL, Pa. – Rite Aid Corp., the largest drugstore chain in Maine and operator of 80 pharmacies in the state, said Wednesday it will shorten hours of operation at nine of its Maine pharmacies.

This is due to a reimbursement rate reduction for MaineCare prescriptions implemented by Gov. John Baldacci, the company stated in a press release.

The hours of operation for the nonpharmacy departments of the stores will remain the same.

Signs notifying customers of shortened pharmacy hours will go up Thursday. The new schedules will take effect Saturday, Feb. 7.

The stores will also shorten hours during the week. The nine stores are in Lisbon Falls, Van Buren, Fort Fairfield, Manchester, Bar Harbor, Dexter, Oakland, Milo and Augusta.

“This was not an easy decision because the health care of our patients is our highest priority, but we have been forced to take this step. In many cases, the new lower rate won’t cover what it costs Rite Aid to fill a prescription,” said Mary Sammons, Rite Aid president and CEO.

Rite Aid contacted Gov. John Baldacci before this latest rate reduction to ask him to reconsider, and presented him with an alternate proposal that offers longer-term savings.

Rite Aid said it also has offered to work with his staff and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to implement programs that have worked successfully to curb Medicaid prescription costs in other states.

Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation’s leading drugstore chains with approximately 3,400 stores in 28 states and the District of Columbia.