Walmart Pharmacy's
 

Tonite on the news I heard that Walmart pharmacy's will be charging $4.00
for generic perscriptions .When it starts in your state depends on the Walmart. In oregon it will start in the New Year. I never go to that store.
But for such a savings I will check it out when the savings begin.

What do you think?


Riva

I heard that too and gave it some thought ...........Around here -- rural area -- we HAVE to go to WalMart for some things because their arrival drove so many stores out of business.
BUT I have great trust and faith in my pharmacy and can't imagine leaving them for WalMart.

I have been watching this...
 

all day today.

First off, not all generics will be involved. Some new ones are still very expensive and they won't be able to do it.

But for maintenance drugs like for blood pressure, etc...it will work.

Actual costs for things like furosemide, HCTZ, enalapril, phenobarb,
etc are really low. So they are going to sell them "loss leader".. that is make
no profit. Also their pharmacies are not very busy. As a comparison to
Costco, which with their lowest prices have become hugely busy.
(this I know from experience). In just one year, volume has more than doubled at Costco, and they are putting in new safety computers with better capability to prevent errors (very high volume leads to more errors and stress).
I just saw this system yesterday.

So I see this as a good thing.It will shake up the chains however, and that
should be interesting as well. But don't expect a drug newly gone generic to be included. Typically costs to the pharmacy for those can be as high as
80% of the brand. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, of if it
continues. I am all for it!

I think it will put even more small pharmacies out of business. I hate with a passion to shope there and unless my insurance company forces me to, I am not doing it.

The thing is, I wonder what drugs they will sell. Will it be old, fairly useless, now with a newer version, drugs? But my 79 year old father or 77 year old FIL, only want to save $$ so instead of what the Dr said, they buy those. Then when they have troubles & have to go back & pay the Dr more for a new visit, they wonder why. Not all generics will be involved Mrsd said, but I'm reminded, my Dr told me generic zonegran (zonsimide) isn't the same as zonegran.

I saw in the paper today that Wal Mart is starting in Florida's Tampa Bay Area with 300 generic prescriptions. They will include some of the most commonly prescribed like Metsormin for diabetes and Lisinopril for high blood pressure. This program will be expanded state wide in January and throughtout the nation next year. Target will immediately match Wal Mart's prices on generic drugs in the Tampa Bay Area.

Kitt

Kitt thats great news I perfer target to walmart.


Riva

Walmart needs to offer something to replace money lost in no more layaways...:p

more...
 

My husband printed out a evaluation by Fidelity this morning for me.

I can't find the link on the net....

but basically, it says that Target has already said it will match prices
in the Tampa area, etc.

CVS fell 8.4%, Walgreen's down 7.4%, and RiteAid down 5%...
with this news... so everyone is really upset.

Many mom and pop stores do sell generics to cash customers already,
reasonably... this is only going to affect the older most widely used drugs.
Some old generics that were all bought up by one company like
chlorazepate, lorazepam, and hydroxyzine, probably will not be covered.
Those companies raised their generic costs hugely by controlling the availability of the drugs. (Mylan was sued for this).

The article states that generic manufacturers and wholesalers also lost value yesterday stock wise.

So it will be interesting what develops with this.

Yesterday On PBS News they said the drugs were coming from third world
countries. As they were saying this I was wondering how many of us will
switch to generics for our AEDS. Not such a good idea any more is it?





Riva

Already....
 

The generics most everyone uses in USA already come from India,
and Israel. I don't want to get political here, but if you KNEW how many
come from Israel, you'd understand the middle east crisis a bit more.(It is not just oil and religion)

Some even come from Kosovo--- the LEK corporation!
http://www.pharmaceutical-business-r...5-AD2A9E17137A

Most people have no clue here.

However, the expensive generics come from USA companies...maybe manufactured elsewhere...like Puerto Rico..

Example Greenstone (Pfizer) http://www.pfizer.com/pfizer/subsite...greenstone.jsp
These tend to be expensive and would not be included in the WalMart offer.

What I find interesting is the media has already reduced the number affected from over 300 to more like 150 drugs... so it is being whittled down as we type and read here.

Here is an interesting link where some come from:
http://www.pharmacy.org/company.html
Be advised that international companies may manufacture not where there
home office is located!

It is rather a "dunning list" ...!!!:rolleyes: