Wal-Mart rolls out drug program four months early

10/05/2006

Wal-Mart rolls out drug program four months early

By Parija B. Kavilanz,
CNNMoney.com staff writer
October 5 2006: 12:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com)—Wal-Mart announced Thursday that it is accelerating its $4 generic prescription program statewide in Florida nearly four months earlier than expected.

Wal-Mart (Charts) said it pushed forward its schedule because of customer demand and requests from Florida state officials.

The program was originally planned to be rolled out statewide in January 2007.

Wal-Mart has also expanded the program to include 314 generic prescriptions available for up to a 30-day supply at commonly prescribed dosages, up from an earlier number of 291 generic medicines.

The list has been expanded to include medicines such as the oncology drug Megestrol and Lovastatin, which is used to treat cholesterol.

The retailer said the new list of generic drugs now represents nearly 30 percent of prescriptions currently dispensed in the 235 Wal-Mart, Neighborhood Market and Sam’s Club pharmacies throughout Florida.

Wal-Mart initially announced the launch of the pilot program in Florida last month to sell generic prescription drugs for as low as $4 for a 30-day supply for things like allergies, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

The expanded list now includes medicines such as oncology drug Megestrol and Lovastatin, which is used to treat cholesterol, the retailer said.

Wal-Mart’s more than 94,000 employees in Florida will also be eligible for the program. Additionally, the company said employees can use their 10 percent associate discount for cash sales, although this won’t apply if they process the purchase through their medical insurance plan.

Wal-Mart’s rival Target (Charts) last month announced it too would match Wal-Mart’s lower prices on the generic drugs.