Article published May 20, 2007
LOW-PRICED OR FREE GENERICS LAUNCHED 6 MONTHS AGO
Users, sellers feeling good on $4 prescriptions
Pharmacist Donnie Sigman fills a prescription at the Wal-Mart in Spring Meadows. The chain was a leader in super-low-priced generics. See drug list .
(
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
)
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By JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER
SINCE JANUARY, Kimberly Snide has saved $72 by getting three prescriptions for generic medicine filled at Giant Eagle.
“They were costing me $10 before, so it saved me $6 per prescription per month,” said Ms. Snide, program coordinator at the Maumee Senior Center.
She was so pleased that she transferred 12 prescriptions from a local Kroger Co. store to Giant Eagle’s pharmacy.
Spokesmen for Wal-Mart say that nationally, the chain has filled $290 million worth of $4 generic prescriptions since its program began.
(
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
)
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Six months after several retailers — led by Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Giant Eagle Inc., and Meijer — began offering more than 300 widely used generic drugs either for free or for $4, customers and the retailers seem happy.
Wal-Mart began its $4 price for 331 generic drugs in September, and since has filled $290 million of prescriptions. Those drugs represent 35 percent of the prescriptions dispensed by the chain.
Further, nearly 30 percent of the $4 prescriptions are ordered by people with no health insurance, said Wal-Mart spokesman Marisa Bluestone.
| DRUG LIST |
Here are the generic prescription drugs that are for free or for $4 each from participating retailers.
Free antibiotics at Meijer
Amoxicillin
Ampicillin
Cephalexin
Ciprofloxacin
Erythromycin
Penicillin vk
Sulfamethoxazole-tmp
$4 generic drugs offered either at Wal-Mart, Giant Eagle, or Target
(BOLDFACED drugs are offered only at Giant Eagle)
Acyclovir 200mg capsules
Albuterol 0.5% nebulizer solution
Albuterol 2mg tablets
Albuterol 2mg/5ml syrup
Albuterol 4mg tablets
Allopurinol 100mg tablets
Allopurinol 300mg tablets
Amitriptyline 100mg tablets
Amitriptyline 10mg tablets
Amitriptyline 25mg tablets
Amitriptyline 50mg tablets
Amitriptyline 75mg tablets
Amilor/hctz 5mg/50mg tablets
Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml sus 100ml
Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml sus 150ml
Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml sus 80ml
Amoxicillin 125mg tablets
Amoxicillin 200mg/5ml sus 100ml
Amoxicillin 200mg/5ml sus 50ml
Amoxicillin 200mg/5ml sus 75ml
Amoxicillin 250mg capsules
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml sus 100ml
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml sus 150ml
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml sus 80ml
Amoxicillin 400mg/5ml sus 100ml
Amoxicillin 400mg/5ml sus 50ml
Amoxicillin 400mg/5ml sus 75ml
Amoxicillin 400mg tablets
Amoxicillin 500mg capsules
Amoxicillin 875mb tablets
Amoxil 50mg/ml drops
Ampicillin 250mg capsules
Ampicillin 500 mg capsules
Antipy/benzo otic solution
Atenol/chlor 100/25mg tablets
Atenol/chlor 50/25mg tablets
Atenolol 100mg tablets
Atenolol 25mg tablets
Atenolol 50mg tablets
Atropine sul 1% op solution
Bacitracin opthalmic ointment 4
Baclofen 10mg tablets
Belladona alk/pb tablets
Benazepril 10mg tablets
Benazepril 20mg tablets
Benazepril 40mg tablets
Benazepril 5mg tablets
Benzonatate 100mg capsules
Benztropine 2mg tablets
Betamethasone dip 0.05% cream 15gm
Betamethasone dip 0.05% cream 45gm
Betamethasone val 0.1% cream 15gm
Betamethasone val 0.1% cream 45gm
Betamethasone val 0.1% ointment 15gm
Betamethasone val 0.1% ointment 45gm
Bisoprolol/hctz 10/6.25 tablets
Bisoprolol/hctz 2.5/6.25 tablets
Bisoprolol/hctz 5/6.25mg tablets
Brometane dx liquid
Bromfenex pd 6-60mg cr capsules
Bumetanide 0.5mg tablets
Bumetanide 1mg tablets
Buspirone 10mg tablets
Buspirone 5mg tablets
Captopril 100mg tablets
Captopril 12.5mg tablets
Captopril 25mg tablets
Captopril 50mg tablets
Carbamazepine 200mg tablets
Cephalexin 250mg capsules
Cephalexin 500mg capsules
Cephalexin 125mg/5ml sus 100ml
Cephalexin 125mg/5ml sus 200ml
Cephalexin 250mg/5ml sus 100 ml
Cephalexin 250mg/5ml sus 200 ml
Ceron dm syrup
Ceron drops 1oz
Chlorhexadrine glu 0.12% solution
Chlorpropamide 100mg tablets
Chlorthalidone 25mg tablets
Chlorthalidone 50mg tablets
Cimetidine 800mg tablets
Ciprofloxacn 250mg tablets
Ciprofloxacn 500mg tablets
Ciprofloxacn 750mg tablets
Citalopram 20mg tablets
Citalopram 40mg tablets
Clonidine 0.1mg tablets
Clonidine 0.1mg pack
Clonidine 0.2mg tablets
Clonidine 0.2mg pack
Colchicine 0.6mg tablets
Cpm/pse 8-120 cr capsules
Cyclobenzaprine 10mg tablets
Cyclobenzaprine 5mg tablets
Cytra2 solution
Dec-chlorphen dm drops
Dec-chrlorphen dm syrup
Dexamethasone .5mg tablets
Dexamethasone 0.75mg tablets
Dexamethasone 4mg tablets
Diclofenac 75mg dr tab
Dicyclomine 10mg capsules
Dicyclomine 20mg tablets
Digitek 0.125mg tablets
Digitek 0.25mg tablets
Diltiazem 120mg tablets
Diltiazem 30mg tablets
Diltiazem 60mg tablets
Diltiazem 90mg tablets
Doxazosin 1mg tablets
Doxazosin 2mg tablets
Doxazosin 4mg tablets
Doxazosin 8mg tablets
Doxepin hcl 100mg capsules
Doxepin hcl 10mg capsules
Doxepin hcl 25mg capsules
Doxepin hcl 50mg capsules
Doxepin hcl 75mg capsules
Doxycycline hyc 100mg capsules
Doxycycline hyc 100mg tablets
Doxycycline hyc 50mg capsules
Enalapril 10mg tablets
Enalapril 2.5mg tablets
Enalapril 20mg tablets
Enalapril 5mg tablets
Enalapril/hctz 5mg/12.5mg tablets
Erythromycin 250mg ec capsules
Erythromycin 250mg tablets
Erythromycin 400mg tablets
Erythromycin 500mg tablets
Erythromycin 2% topical solution
Erythromycin 200mg/5ml sus 280ml
Erythromycin 400mg/5ml sus 280ml
Erythromycin opthalmic ointment
Estradiol 0.5mg tablets
Estradiol 1mg tablets
Estradiol 2mg tablets
Estropipate 0.625mg tablets
Estropipate 0.75mg tablets
Estropipate 1.25mg tablets
Estropipate 1.5mg tablets
Ethedent 0.25mg chewable tablets
Famotidine 20mg tablets
Fluconazole 150mg tablets
Fluocinonide 0.05% cream 15gm
Fluocinonide 0.05% cream 30gm
Fluocinonide acet 0.01% solution
Fluoxetine 10mg capsules
Fluoxetine 10mg tablets
Fluoxetine 20mg capsules
Fluoxetine 40mg capsules
Fluphenazine 1mg tablets
Folic acid 1mg tablets
Furosemide 20mg tablets
Furosemide 40mg tablets
Furosemide 80mg tablets
Garamycin 0.1% cream
Gentak 0.3% opthalmic solution
Gentamicin 0.1% cream 15gm
Gentamicin 0.1% ointment 15gm
Gentamicin 0.3% opthalmic solution
Glimepiride 1mg tablets
Glimepiride 2mg tablets
Glimepiride 4mg tablets
Glipizide 10mg tablets
Glipizide 5mg tablets
Glyburide 2.5mg tablets (blue)
Glyburide 2.5mg tablets (green)
Glyburide 5mg tablets (blue)
Glyburide 5mg tablets (green)
Glyburide mcr 3mg tablets
Glyburide mcr 6mg tablets
Guaifenesin dm syrup
Guaifenex dm er
Guaifenex gp tablets
Guanfacine 1mg tablets
Haloperidol 0.5mg tablets
Haloperidol 1mg tablets
Haloperidol 2mg tablets
Haloperidol 5mg tablets
Hctz 12.5mg capsules
Hctz 25mg tablets
Hctz 50mg tablets
Hemorrhoidal-hc 25mg suppository
Hydralazine 10mg tablets
Hydralazine 25mg tablets
Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg capsules
Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg tablets
Hydrochlorothiazide 50mg tablets
Hydrocortisone 1% cream 30gm
Hydrocortisone 2.5% cream 30gm
Hydrocortisone ac 25mg suppository
Hydroxyzine hcl10mg/5ml syrup
Hyoscyamine 0.125/ml drops
Hyoscyamine 0.125mg sublingual
Hyoscyamine 0.125mg tablets
Hyoscyamine 0.375 Er tablets
Ibuprofen 100/5ml suspension
Ibuprofen 400mg tablets
Ibuprofen 600mg tablets
Ibuprofen 800mg tablets
Indapamide 1.25mg tablets
Indapamide 2.5mg tablets
Indomethacin 25mg capsules
Isoniazid 300mg tablets
Isosorbide mono 30mg er tablets
Isosorbide mono 60mg er tablets
Klorcon 10 - 10meq er tablets
Klorcon 8 tablets 8meq er
Klorcon m10 tablets
Lactulose 10gm/15 syrup
Levothyroxin 100mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 112mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 125mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 150mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 175mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 25mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 50mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 75mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 88mcg tablets
Levothyroxin 200mcg tablets
Lidocaine 2% viscous solution
Lisinopril 10mg tablets
Lisinopril 2.5mg tablets
Lisinopril 20mg tablets
Lisinopril 5mg tablets
Lisinopril-hctz 10-12.5mg tablets
Lisinopril-hctz 20-12.5 tablets
Lisinopril-hctz 20-25mg tablets
Lithium carb 300mg capsules
Loratadine 10mg tablets
Loratadine 5mg/5ml syrup
Lovastatin 10mg tablets
Lovastatin 20mg tablets
Mag64 64mg tablets
Magnesium oxide 400mg tablets
Meclizine 12.5mg tablets
Meclizine 25mg tablets
Medroxyprogesterone ac 10mg tablets
Medroxyprogesterone ac 2.5mg tablets
Medroxyprogesterone ac 5mg tablets
Megestrol 20mg tablets
Meloxicam 15mg tablets
Meloxicam 7.5 mg tablets
Metformin 1000mg tablets
Metformin 500mg tablets
Metformin 500mg er tablets
Metformin 850mg tablets
Methyldopa 250mg tablets
Methyldopa 500mg tablets
Methylprednisolone 4mg tablets
Methylprednisolone 4mg dosepack
Metoclopramide 10mg tablets
Metoclopramide 5mg/5ml syrup
Metoprolol 100mg tablets
Metoprolol 25mg tablets
Metoprolol 50mg tablets
Metronidazole 250mg tablets
Metronidazole 500mg tablets
Multi vitamin 0.25mg chewable
Multi vitamin/fl/fe chewable
Multi vitbet /fl 1mg chewable
Multi vitbet 0.5mgfl chewable
Nadolol 20mg tablets
Nadolol 40mg tablets
Naproxen 375mg tablets
Naproxen 500mg tablets
Natalcare pic tablets
Natalcare plus tablets
Neo/poly/dex 0.1% opthalmic ointment
Neo/poly/dex 0.1% opthalmic suspension
Nortriptyline 10mg capsules
Nortriptyline 25mg capsules
Nystatin 100000u cream 15gm
Nystatin 100000u cream 30gm
Nystatin ointment 15gm
Nystatin ointment 30gm
Nystatin/triam ointment 15gm
Nystatin/triam cream 15gm
Nystatin/triam cream 30gm
Oxybutynin 5mg tablets
Paroxetine 10mg tablets
Paroxetine 20mg tablets
Penicillin vk 125/5ml solution 100ml
Penicillin vk 125/5ml solution 200ml
Penicillin vk 250/5ml solution 100ml
Penicillin vk 250/5ml solution 200ml
Penicillin vk 250mg tablets
Penicillin vk 500mg tablets
Phenazopyridine 100mg tablets
Phenazopyridine 200mg tablets
Pilocarpine 1% opthalmic solution
Pilocarpine 2% opthalmic solution
Pindolol 10mg tablets
Pindolol 5mg tablets
Piroxicam 20mg capsules
Polymixin sulf/tmp solution
Potassium chloride 10% liquid
Potassium chloride 8meq cr tablets
Potassium chloride 10meq tablets
Potassium chloride 10meq cr tablets
Potassium chloride 20meq/15 liquid
Pravastatin 10mg tablets
Pravastatin 20mg tablets
Pravastatin 40mg tablets
Prazosin hcl 1mg capsules
Prazosin hcl 2mg capsules
Prazosin hcl 5mg capsules
Prednisone 10mg dosepack 48ct
Prednisone 10mg tablets
Prednisone 10mg dosepack 21ct
Prednisone 2.5mg tablets
Prednisone 20mg tablets
Prednisone 5mg tablets
Prednisone 5mg dosepack 48ct
Prednisone 5mg 6 day dosepack
Prenatal rx tablets
Prenatal rx bad tablets
Prochlorperazine 10mg tablets
Promethazine dm syrup
Promethazine 25mg tablets
Promethazine 6.25/5ml syrup
Propranolol 10mg tablets
Propranolol 20mg tablets
Propranolol 40mg tablets
Propranolol 80mg tablets
Ranitidine 150mg tablets
Ranitidine 300mg tablets
Salsalate 500mg tablets
Selenium sul 2.5% lotion
Slow-magnesium 64mg tablets
Smz/tmp 200mg/40mg/5ml suspension
Smz/tmp 400mg/80mg tablets
Smz/tmp ds 800/160 tablets
Sod citrate/citr ac solution
Sod fluroide 0.25mg tablets
Sotalol hcl 80mg tablets
Spironolactone 25mg tablets
Sulfacetamide sod 10% opthalmic solution
Sulfamethoxazole 800-160mg tablets
Sulfatrim ped sus 120ml
Terazosin 10mg capsules
Terazosin 1mg capsules
Terazosin 2mg capsules
Terazosin 5mg capsules
Tetracycline 250mg capsules
Tetracycline 500mg capsules
Thioridazine 25mg tablets
Thioridazine 50mg tablets
Thiothixene 2mg capsules
Tobramycin 0.3% opthalmic solution
Tramadol hcl 50mg tablets
Trazodone 100mg tablets
Trazodone 150mg tablets
Trazodone 50mg tablets
Triamcinolone 0.025% cream 15gm
Triamcinolone 0.025% cream 80gm
Triamcinolone 0.1% cream 15gm
Triamcinolone 0.1% cream 30gm
Triamcinolone 0.1% cream 80gm
Triamcinolone 0.1% ointment 15gm
Triamcinolone 0.1% ointment 80gm
Triamcinolone 0.5% cream 15gm
Triam/hctz 37.5/25 capsules
Triamt/hctz 37.5/25 tablets
Triamt/hctz 75/50mg tablets
Trihexyphen 2mg tablets
Trivent dpc6215/5syrup
Verapamil 120mg tablets
Verapamil 80mg tablets
Warfarin 5mg tablets
Warfarin 5mg compliance pack |
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“We have seen that it has made a genuine, significant impact on our customers’ lives,” she said.
Also helped by the program is the nation’s largest retailer’s bottom line. H. Lee Scott, Jr., chief executive officer of the Bentonville, Ark., company, told analysts recently that the program performed better than expected and delivered double-digit percentage increases in sales for the firm’s pharmacies nationwide.
Giant Eagle officials, likewise, are pleased with that company’s $4 program. The chain provided several free generic antibiotics plus prescription cough and cold medicines during the winter, but has moved the free generics into the $4 category.
Spokesman Daniel Donovan of the Pittsburgh grocery chain, which has two metro Toledo stores, said the program has attracted new pharmacy customers and boosted pharmacy sales. Giant Eagle declined to provide figures.
Meijer, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., chose not to offer $4 generics. Instead, in October it began offering seven common antibiotics for free.
Spokesman Stacie Behler said the retailer has given away 750,000 prescriptions for those antibiotics, $9.2 million worth.
“It also increases loyalty and hopefully drives shoppers to us,” she said. “Do we think that this is driving folks to shop at Meijer who weren’t coming to Meijer? Maybe.”
The programs have not produced lower drug prices overall, nor have they had other apparent effects, industry experts said.
Lance Longwell, spokesman for IMS Health, a health care information and consulting company, said, “We’re not really seeing any noticeable impact or shift in prescription dispensing patterns … shifting to Wal-Mart or from Wal-Mart.”
Jason Kurtz, a spokesman for the parent firm of Bedford Laboratories and Roxanne Laboratories, which make generic drugs in Ohio, said the effects of $4 generics seem confined to the retailers and their customers.
“We haven’t seen a dramatic change in our sales,” he said. “It hasn’t helped or hurt us.”
Nonparticipants Of note, the programs, which also are at Target Corp. stores, have not nudged the nation’s largest drugstore chains into offering $4 generics. More than 95 percent of prescriptions Rite Aid Inc. processes are covered by insurance, and the average co-pay for drugs on Wal-Mart’s list is not much more than $4, said spokesman Jody Cook.
“We also have had a long-standing store price-matching policy,” she said. However, to get the lower price, the customer typically has to tell the pharmacist of another store’s price, and then the pharmacist has to verify it.
Spokesman for CVS Pharmacies and Walgreens Inc. had similar responses.
The $4 prescriptions were launched by Wal-Mart in September at stores in Tampa, Fla. The program was expanded nationwide in October.
Giant Eagle, Target, and B.J.’s Wholesale Club matched Wal-Mart, and Meijer, K-Mart, and Wegman’s supermarkets offered free or discounted generics.
Some touted it as a way to help cut the high cost of drugs, but critics were skeptical.
Criticism of lists Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a national organization for health care consumers, still has doubts.
“I don’t yet know what impact this is having on the overall market,” he said. “But my assumption is it probably will encourage greater use and lower costs for generic drugs, and I think that’s good.”
Mr. Longwell, of IMS Health, said a large criticism lobbed at the retailers is that their claim to have lists of more than 300 generics is deceiving.
Many of the drugs are the same, listed separately in varying strengths or in liquid and solid form. About 140 different drugs are on the list, he said.
And many of those, he said, are used to treat the same medical condition. That reduces the list to about 30, he added.
Larry Kocot, of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the criticisms are hard to justify because people are benefitting and no one is being hurt.
“I really do think that it was an interesting market play to attract certain consumers through a low-price generic program,” he said. “But the bottom line is some beneficiaries are saving money.”
Mr. Kocot, a senior adviser in the agency which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the $4 generics have helped older citizens getting medication through Medicare’s Part D. The standard benefit charges participants a 25 percent co-pay.
“They would be paying $2.50 with a $10 generic drug. But with a $4 generic they only have had to pay a $1,” he said.
Awareness of generics One unmeasurable benefit that the $4 generic plans may be creating is greater awareness and understanding of generic drugs.
Doctors and nurses at the Oregon Clinic Inc., which specializes in geriatric medicine, keep a list of the $4 and free generics offered locally. Clinic officials tell patients where they can save money on prescriptions.
“We do we tell them about it as often as we can. It helps them out a lot,” said Peggy Knect, clinic office manager.
Meanwhile, at the Sylvania Senior Center on West Sylvania Avenue, program coordinator Susan Jennelle found that only two of six senior citizens she recently asked were aware of the $4 programs. The group said they would be willing to consider them.
Six months ago, seniors at the center avoided the programs, fearing they were not reliable.
“I think they’re now convinced enough to look into it,” Ms. Jennelle said.
Contact Jon Chavez at:jchavez@theblade.comor 419-724-6128.
See the drug list for area stores.
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