Several newspapers recently published editorials and an opinion piece related to a new pilot program under which 65 Wal-Mart Stores pharmacies in the Tampa, Fla., area will sell 30-day prescriptions of some generic medications for $4 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/22). Summaries appear below.

Editorials
Baltimore Sun: The program "calls the bluff of pharmaceutical industry claims that it can't function without a huge profit cushion," a Sun editorial states, adding, "Wal-Mart's bold new tactic may illustrate the hollowness of federal government fears that Medicare could not adopt a similar policy for fear of harmfully distorting the market through price-fixing." The editorial concludes, "Wal-Mart's business tactics often leave much to be desired," but, "when it comes to offering customers needed products at the lowest cost, Wal-Mart's experience is worth watching" (Baltimore Sun, 9/25).

Boston Herald: "Wal-Mart isn't exactly solving the dilemma of skyrocketing prescription drug prices" with the program but is "potentially easing the burden of high drug costs on uninsured customers -- and on the Medicaid program," a Herald editorial states. The program "doesn't include some of the most popular or expensive generics -- yet," the editorial states, adding, "It may mean big savings on some drugs but only comparable pricing on others" (Boston Herald, 9/25).

Chicago Sun-Times: The program might not include some generic medications and might provide only "marginal benefits to the insured," but "it sure beats importing drugs from Canada or not being able to afford them at all," a Sun-Times editorial states. "The new policy also drives home ... the importance that landing a Wal-Mart holds for poor communities," the editorial states (Chicago Sun-Times, 9/25).

Las Vegas Review-Journal: "Wal-Mart is evil," at least according to labor unions, and "now Wal-Mart has really done it" with the announcement of the program, a Review-Journal editorial states. The editorial adds, "Darn it! You see? You let these greedy capitalists corner the market and drive all their competitors out of business, and what do they do? They, um ... slash the price of life-saving drugs" by 86% (Las Vegas Review-Journal, 9/25).

Tallahassee Democrat: The program "suggests an interesting shift in private-sector participation in problems," such as health care, "that hound the culture and seem so resistant to solution," a Democrat editorial states. "A combination of efforts -- corporate, philanthropic, public and personal -- is clearly needed to address such universal issues as health care," the editorial states, adding, "It is a hopeful sign that companies for whom thinking big is commonplace are stepping up and actively offering solutions" (Tallahassee Democrat, 9/25).

Opinion Piece
Ryan Sager, New York Post: "On the surface, Wal-Mart's new $4 drug plan looks like an extension of its usual 'evil' tactics to a new sector of the economy -- this time, one that folks on the Left are happy to see get whacked: drug companies," Sager -- author of "The Elephant in the Room: Evangelicals, Libertarians and the Battle to Control the Republican Party" -- writes in a Post opinion piece. However, the "real story" to the program is that Wal-Mart hopes to "get more people into the stores," to "get the people who already shop there to stop by more often" and to "get an advantage over its competitors," Sager writes, adding that the program also provides "good publicity for a company embattled by unions" (Sager, New York Post, 9/25).


"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.