Wal-Mart Selling $10 90-Day Prescription Drug Supplies; Target To Do Same

[ProgressiveEconomist]

(Preface: I learned about this new development in LBN, at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3297487 . Because some may have missed the LBN thread, .I'm posting a more informative article mentioning Target's similar program, along with direct links to formularies at Walmart.com, Kmart.com, and Target.com.

I myself have saved hundreds of dollars since I saw a thread similar to this one many months ago. Maybe I can return the favor another DUer did me then.)

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From http://www.courant.com/business/hc-walmartrx0506.artmay06,0,6669911.story :

"Wal-Mart Stores Alter Drug Plans; Wal-Mart Selling $10 90-Day Supplies; Target To Do Same

By PEGGY HARRIS | Associated Press May 6, 2008

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, announced Monday it would expand its discounted prescription drug program to offer 90-day supplies for $10 and add several women's medications at a discount. It also said it would lower the price of more than 1,000 over-the-counter drugs. The move marks the third phase of a company program that began in 2006 to provide a 30-day supply of generic prescription drugs for $4. The Bentonville-based company said the program has saved customers more than $1 billion.

With the expansion, the company began filling prescriptions Monday for up to 350 generic medications at $10 for a 90-day supply at Wal-Mart, Neighborhood Market and Sam's Club pharmacies in the U.S. ... Wal-Mart also will lower the prices of more than 1,000 over-the-counter medications to $4 or less in its pharmacies, company officials said. Wal-Mart has sold over-the-counter medicines in the past at discounted prices, but revised and expanded its offerings specifically to include commonly used drugs that usually sell for $7 or more, said company spokesman Deisha Galberth. ... The over-the-counter medication price rollbacks represent about one-third of the retailer's over-the-counter medicines. ...

Since 2006, Wal-Mart's $4 generic drug program has expanded to every state, except North Dakota, where Wal-Mart has no in-store pharmacies. And many rivals have followed its lead. Target Corp. said late Monday that it also will reduce prices on prescription and over-the-counter drugs by expanding its assortment of $4 prescriptions, offering 90-day supplies for $10, and selling over-the-counter medications for $4 or less. ..."

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Through some Googling, I found the Walmart low-price "formulary"--the complete list of medications and dosages that Walmart is now selling 90 days worth for $10 apiece. It's in a 5-page PDF dated May 5 2008 at http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/four_dollar_drug_list.pdf .

For comparison, KMART lists a small part of its $15 90-day formulary in a PDF brochure at http://www.kmart.com/ue/home/BROCHURE_90Day.pdf . If you live near a Kmart Pharmacy, it may be worth visiting regularly to pick up a printed copy of the latest list, which grows a bit longer every few weeks.

TARGET has a $4 30-day formulary linked at http://sites.target.com/site/en/health/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-004319 . I don't see anything yet about their new $10 / 90-day program (mentioned in the AP article above), but maybe in the future they'll combine 30-day and 90-day lists and keep the same URL, just as Walmart did yesterday.

[ruby slippers]

1. so, Medicare demanded that I sign up for prescirption drug plan at

18.00 a month when I don't even get any prescriptions and now I could pay considerably less at Walmart had I not been scared into signing up with Medicare? What a rip off the government has for us old folks....

[Night_Nurse]

2. Same thing...

goes for my mother.

It's interesting to me that WalMart can manage to do what the gov't cannnot.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

13. "Walmart can manage to do what the govt cannot"--IMO, Walmart, Target Kmart, and

other department stores are just using these "low-price" plans to buy regular foot-traffic through their aisles of eye-catching displays of other items. These plans must be more effective than any kind of advertising at brining customers back every 30 or 90 days and generating sales of non-pharmacy items.

I've never been to a WalMart, but I'd imagine their stores are laid out like evey Kmart and Target I've ever gone to: The pharmacy is located in a far corner, so that you have to traipse through hundreds of feet of aisles to buy your meds. And none of these "low-price" plans EVER allow delivery of prescriptions by mail.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Actually the pharmacy is pretty near the front of the store

but there are still plenty of distractions between it and the front door.

[DS1]

20. Wal*Mart has massive say in what prices vendors let them sell things

If you want to get on Wal*Mart shelves, you pretty much become their servant. This isn't really surprising.

What would be surprising is WalMart using their power for some good for a change. Perhaps they realize that it's their customer base which needs this the most.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. I'll be ticked if the government demanded that of me

since my only scrip costs $6.33.

[ruby slippers]

4. right, but they scared everyone into signing up about two years ago now by

telling us that we would face a higher premium in the future if we chose not to sign up then, so I did...on the last day...

[SharonAnn]

14. Wal-Mart's is only for generic drugs. You may need brand name drugs, the expensive ones

[ProgressiveEconomist]

15. Good point. Though I've often wondered how often doctors succumb to

BigPharma incentives and promotions to push patent-protected new meds when reliable generics continue to provide perfectly acceptable results.

[TZ]

17. Eh. Sometimes it doesn't matter what the doc writes on the paper

A good pharmacy (and I have one) will automatically give you a generic if one is available and appropriate. (I think I had to sign up somewhere saying I wanted that, but it wasn't hard).
And most of the docs I have been to, will write up a generic preferentially.
Those "Big Pharma" incentives you talk about are often they had a free dinner in the past or a pen or a coffee mug. OOOH, I know thats worth selling my soul for.
Doctors do not get kickbacks for prescribing one drug over another....:eyes:

[ProgressiveEconomist]

19. So Big Pharma is just wasting its money on incentives and promotions

for potential prescribers?

[Lorien]

5. Thanks for this! Looks like I can save a bundle on cyclobenzaprine

which is one of the only things that helps when I have a fibromyalgia attack. I'll skip Wal-Mart and go to Target instead.

:hi:

[williesgirl]

6. Thanks for posting and the links. Sent to my address list. Rec'd

[ProgressiveEconomist]

9. Thanks for the recommendation--This info could save many DUers a ot more than a

"gas tax holiday"

[Juche]

7. Thanks

My hydrochlorothiazide used to cost $30 but because walmart has it for $4, I can price match it when I get it at CVS now.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

8. You get CVS to match the Walmart price? Never heard of that. Is pharmacy

price matching a national CVS policy? Do you need to bring documentation of the other price every time you want CVS to match it?

[cynatnite]

10. I didn't know that...

Would love to save a few bucks on my medicine. Thanks!

[backscatter712]

11. Two wrongs make a right...

We have evil pharmcos who jack prices up through the roof to pay for their incessant advertisements, their wining and dining of physicians, and the new 200 foot yachts for their top executives.

Then Wal-Mart, infamous for jerking around their employees and their suppliers and gutting economies so they can offer their Low Low Prices, gets into the pharmacy business, making one of the suppliers they jerk around for Low Low Prices the evil pharmcos.

Two wrongs making a right? Maybe, though I'm sure the evil motherfucker executives on both sides will eventually find a way to make sure the little guys are the ones that get gouged.

[CC]

12. It is great probably for most drugs

and will help a lot of people but they are still making money. Also why only Levothyroxine for thyroid? I know Levothyroxine cost $3.44 for a 30 day supply at my small local pharmacy so Walmart would not save on it at $.00 for 30 days. They don't offer Armour which works for those that synthetics won't work for. It runs me 3.23 for a 30 day supply.
Amoxicillian at the same small local pharmacy is 2.57 for a 10 day supply. I have no idea what 30 days would be since it is rare that it is prescribed for that long. I do know whatever antibiotic they use for lyme disease was only 3.89 for a 30 day supply when my nephew had to have it. Oh and we don't have to wait hours in line.

I will give them credit for what they are doing but it is still worth while to check what the local pharmacy will charge too. You might just save a few pennies and they all count when you are on a budget.

Another suggestion, if you have an insurance copay find out what your drugs cost before you give them the info. Our pharmacy charges which ever is cheaper, drug cost or copay and will tell you why they aren't using your copay. Many chain pharmacies do not do that, they charge your copay even if it is higher than the actual drug cost.

Edited to add- I don't know what Walmart does on copays since I don't shop there.

[RebelOne]

18. If you need antibiotics, purchase them at this Web site.

Amoxicillian can be bought for $16.98 for 100. I purchase Tetracycaline there all the time. It's the same thing as a human presciption.

www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/10993/product.web

[THX1138]

22. Hmmmm

Well considering the product you linked is formulated for fish, how do you estimate dosages? Most dosages are based on body weight and the difference in weight between a human and a fish is pretty profound. Also, generic antibiotics are usually pretty cheap, I usually get charged less than my copay. Is buying this way really saving you any money?

[Bluenorthwest]

24. This is not about people with co-pays

Walwart's pricing and Target's are not co-pays, they are purchase prices. Available to all. And in fact, they are often much cheaper than my own insurance co-pays. But bear in mind that many have no insurance, and a cheaper price is a great thing for them.
For those who don't like Walmart, for all of those good reasons, if you live in Fred Myer grocery territory, they are doing the same thing. Same price.

[CC]

25. I didn't knock what they were doing

and know not everyone has copays. But some prescriptions are less than Wal-Marts $4 and it is worth checking around, specially if they are closer. Our local independent pharmacy is cheaper on some drugs and at least 15 miles closer than the nearest Wal-Mart. It is still good for those that are near a Wal-Mart or Target and seems to help get others to lower their prices.
I added about co-pays after thinking about my sister that was paying a 35.00 copay for amoxicillin. Her pharmacy was ripping her off on it. Now she doesn't say she has insurance until after finding out the price and found out a lot of things she has had to take were cheaper than her copay. She is single and a teacher and doesn't make that much money so it makes a big difference to her. She also isn't the only one I know that has found that out and I know many people lucky enough to have insurance though they are still struggling in jobs paying less than $10 an hour and raising families. Some even qualify for Medicaid to cover the copay gap. Many people are hurting and every little bit helps, including saving on the gas to get the meds.

[RayOfHope]

21. Sure wish they would add contraceptives to this list n/t

[Rosemary2205]

23. Your thread got lost in Primary traffic - can you repost so we can recommend it up?

Those links at the bottom to the formularies are incredibly helpful and I'd love for those who only see the Greatest page to get the links.

Could you repost so we can rate you up????

Thanks

[ProgressiveEconomist]

26. Just reposted in GD at URL

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3255013