Retailers offering low-cost generics shake drug market

Employee Benefit News, December, 2006 by Chris Silva

While health care analysts agree that consumers will benefit from Wal-Mart's recent decision to sell certain generic drugs for $4 a month, there's plenty of debate on the impact cheaper generics will have on competition at the retail and PBM levels and on consumerism. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., announced in mid-September that it was launching a test program to sell 291 generic drugs for $4 a prescription in the Tampa area.

Shortly thereafter, the company decided to expand the discount program to dozens of states. Target, not to be outdone, quickly said it was following Wal-Mart's example. Walgreen's and Kmart, on the other hand, said they already have special pricing programs in place and would not make additional mark downs. Meanwhile, on the PBM side, Medco has seized the...

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