Wal-Mart Provides Relief For Those Needing Medication

Wal-Mart has stepped up to the plate in an effort to ease medication costs during a time when the cost of everything else seems to be going through the roof. The announcement on Monday said the company added OTC medications and women's drugs to the plan.

Healthcare crisis. Prescription costs. Insurance issues. The problems surrounding those topics are all too common these days and the public is wondering just when they might get some assistance. Retail discount giant, Wal-Mart has stepped up to the plate in an effort to provide some much needed relief, or maybe to fatten that already cushy backside, by expanding their discount drug program. Whats new on the program? Over the counter medications and women's prescriptions. (all costs below are in USD) In 2006, Wal-Mart began a $4 generic prescription program in Florida that spread like wildfire across the United States, offering common generic medications at $4 for a 30-day supply and $10 for a 90-day supply. In a press release on May 5, 2008, Wal-Mart has expanded its program to incorporate women specific medications at $9 a month, or $24 for a 3-month supply, that would include some breast cancer chemotherapy medications and hormone therapy drugs, saving thousands of dollars for female patients. Also newly added were generic WalMart brands of OTC medications such as Zantac, Claratin, Pepcid and Motrin at $4 each. Customers can even pick up Wal-Mart brand vitamins at the $4 cost. A great way to encourage preventative healthcare. The list of generic medications offered at $4 spans to about 350 of the most commonly prescribed drugs, which, according to the news report, accounted for 40 percent of all prescriptions filled at Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Neighborhood Market pharmacies across the nation. With the monthly premiums and deductibles attributed to healthcare insurance being astronomically high, not to include $20 or $30 co-pays per prescription for generic brands and more commonly, having to pay upfront for drugs only to wait months for a percentage to be reimbursed, it isn't rocket science to see how these types of programs are more than just helpful. Wal-Mart is even opening up health clinics offering free screenings for common problems such as cholesterol and blood pressure checks. Although other retailers have tried to step up to meet Wal-Mart's creative niche, none have seemed take the reigns quite like the leader. Target offers $4 generics for a 30-day supply, but no other benefits. K-Mart, yes, they still exist and are owned by Sears, offer a program that provides $15 generics for a 90-day supply but no monthly program so the provision is really geared towards the long-term user. Grocery chains have also stepped up, with places like H.E.B. offering a program that provides $5 prescriptions for over 500 generics and less than $50 for over 500 brand name drugs. They also employ a 90-day supply discount cost under $10, free health screenings and pet medicines. Although not a cost savings program, Meijer offered free antibiotics for children.

But Wal-Mart said it has no plans to offer drugs for free.

"We're in business to make money," said Bill Simon, the chief operating officer of Wal-Mart's U.S. stores. "Free is a price that is not a long-term sustainable proposition."

Even pharmacies like Walgreen's have discount programs but with limitations on 90-day prescriptions for $12.99. Unfortunately, the ego of places that operate as a pharmacy in response to Wal-Mart's programs.

spokesman Michael Polzin said "Wal-Mart has a pharmacy, but Walgreen's is a pharmacy. When it comes to health, service is at least as important as cost."

Location probably has a lot to do with it, as the cost of gasoline skyrocketing to nearly $4 a gallon, an individual who might save a few bucks on this program only to drive several miles out of the way would not be so keen on its benefits. However, for those individuals, like the elderly, who have several prescriptions to fill, a trip to Wal-Mart might be just what the doctor ordered. So now to that list of things to do at Wal-Mart, not only can we get our hair done and pick up our favourite salon quality products, we can have a mani/pedi with french tip solar acrylics, pose for this year's family photo, cash that last minute check at the 7-day a week banking facility, mail a package at the postal center, buy the toddler a happy meal, have the sushi chef prepare a tray for the dinner party, pick up a $200 bottle of Merlot at the upscale test stores and now have the prescriptions filled in the mean time. Did I mention the full-service vision center with optometrist and reasonable prices? One stop shopping at its finest.