Wal-Mart’s $4 generic program expanded again
BENTONVILLE, Ark. Wal-Mart’s $4 generic drug program was expanded on Monday to include new elements such as a 90-day, $10 option, several new women’s medicines and 1,000 nonprescription medicines priced at $4 or less.
This is the third time the program has been expanded since it was introduced in the fall of 2006. Since then, Wal-Mart contends, it has saved customers more than $1.1 billion and up to 95 percent of the prescriptions written in the majority of therapeutic categories now are included in the $4 prescription program. In addition, customers now can purchase a 90-day supply of 350 medicines for $10, a change Wal-Mart said gives customers an additional choice and saves them time and money.
Other changes include the addition of medicines such as a generic version of the osteoporosis drug Fosamax for $9 for a 30-day supply or $24 for a 90-day supply. In addition, medications to treat breast cancer (tamoxifen), menopause and hormone deficiency were added to the list of $9 medicines, a pricing tier that was added to the program in September 2007.
The other notable change to the program involved the inclusion of branded and private-label nonprescription drugs. More than 1,000 products, roughly one-third of the OTC drugs available at Wal-Mart and Neighborhood Market stores are available for $4.
“We’re succeeding in our efforts to deliver simple, affordable, quality pharmacy solutions for families struggling with the rising costs of health care,” said John Agwunobi, president of Wal-Mart’s health and wellness division.
Wal-Mart has promoted the $4 program extensively since its introduction via television commercials, print ads and signage throughout its stores to encourage customers to visit the pharmacy. In addition, the $4 program is frequently held up by Wal-Mart senior executives as an example of the retailer’s marketing slogan adopted last summer to help customers save money so they can live better.