[Vision2020] Fwd: WAL-MART CUTS GENERIC PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES TO $4- Letter and Press Release

Tom Trail ttrail at moscow.com
Thu Sep 21 12:42:42 PDT 2006


>
>Visionaries:


This press release from wal-mart was sent out to all legislators.  It details
Wal Mart's new low cost generic drug program.

Rep. Tom Trail

>Karianne Fallow 
>(Phone) 208/853.2007
>Sr. Manager 
>(Fax) 208/853.5504
>Public Affairs 
>          karianne.fallow at wal-mart.com
>
>
>September 21, 2006
>
>Dear Idaho Legislator:
>
>I personally want to make you aware of an 
>exciting new program we are piloting in Florida 
>as part of our continued commitment to provide 
>more affordable healthcare for America's working 
>families.  Today, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 
>announced that it will make nearly 300 generic 
>drugs available for only $4 per prescription for 
>up to a 30-day supply at commonly prescribed 
>dosages.  The program, to be launched on Friday, 
>September 22, will be available to customers and 
>associates of the 65 Wal-Mart, Neighborhood 
>Market and Sam's Club pharmacies in Tampa Bay, 
>Fla. area, and will be expanded to the entire 
>state in January 2007. Our intent is to take 
>this program to as many states as possible next 
>year.
>
>In February of 2005, our CEO Lee Scott pledged 
>to work with government leaders to find real 
>solutions to the nation's health care problems. 
>We feel today's announcement is a step in the 
>right direction. Our pharmacies see customers 
>struggle with the cost of prescription drugs and 
>we feel by cutting the cost of many generics to 
>$4, we are helping to ensure that our customers 
>and associates get the medicines they need at a 
>price they can afford. 
>
>Key components of the program include:
>
>§       The $4 pricing will be available to all 
>pharmacy customers with a prescription from a 
>doctor that can be filled with a covered generic 
>medicine.
>
>§       This program will be available to the uninsured.
>§       Insurance will be accepted. 
>§       The program presently covers 291 generic 
>medications from many of the most common 
>therapeutic categories. 
>§       The medicines represented are used to 
>treat and manage conditions including allergies, 
>cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. 
>Some antibiotics, antidepressants, 
>antipsychotics and prescription vitamins are 
>also included.
>
>§       The program will be available statewide in Florida in January 2007.
>§       Wal-Mart intends to take the program to 
>as many states as possible next year.
>
>Competition and market forces have been absent 
>from our healthcare system, and that has hurt 
>working families tremendously. We are excited to 
>take the lead in doing what we do best - driving 
>costs out of the system - and passing those 
>savings to our customers and associates.
>
>The program will help alleviate a major 
>challenge for seniors who have fallen into the 
>"doughnut hole" coverage gap in their Medicare 
>Part D prescription drug plans and now find 
>themselves responsible for paying 100 percent of 
>their prescription medicine costs.
>
>In addition, the program provides a solution for 
>the nearly 2.7 million uninsured Floridians who 
>may also avoid filling prescriptions and remain 
>untreated.  Wal-Mart estimates that the program 
>will save the state's Medicaid program hundreds 
>of thousands of dollars annually.
>
>More importantly, rising healthcare costs are 
>eating up more and more of families' budgets, so 
>this program brings a lot of value to our 
>customers, associates and communities. For 
>example, purchasing a 30-day supply of the 
>popular diabetes drug, Metformin, for $4 
>represents a nearly 50 percent savings from the 
>cost of the brand name version of the drug.  In 
>addition, purchasing a 30-day supply of the 
>brand name blood-pressure drug typically costs 
>$12.  Getting the generic, Lisinopril, for $4 
>saves customers nearly $100 annually. These are 
>medicines for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, 
>asthma, colds and infections - the kinds of 
>medicines that working families need so they can 
>treat illness, manage conditions and stay well.
>
>For further information on the program, please 
>do not hesitate to contact me or visit our 
>website at 
><http://www.walmartfacts.com>www.walmartfacts.com 
>..  Wal-Mart looks forward to working with you 
>to find real solutions to the health care 
>challenges facing individuals and families in 
>your state.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>
>Karianne Fallow
>
><<Pharmacy 09.21.06 FINAL.doc>>
>
>Karianne Fallow
>Sr. Manager, Public Affairs
>Wal-Mart
>7154 W. State St. #242
>Boise, ID  83714
>Phone- 208/853.2007
>Fax- 208/853.5504
>Mobile- 479/721.9485
>karianne.fallow at wal-mart.com
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
1375 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel:  (208) 882-6077
Fax:  (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail at moscow.com
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