Wal-mart is doing more to lower Healthcare costs than Obama

[Dan J 277]

Its not generics that are the problem. You can get generics pretty cheaply at whatever pharmacy that you go to. Its everything else that is under 20 year patent protection that's driving up the cost of drugs. How is walmart going to fix that?

-true, generics are cheaper but now they are bought at even cheaper rates.. thanks to Wal-mart.

- I think you missed the ball here, I showed how the Free market has made many common prescriptions cheaply available for hundreds of millions of Citizens... and even Illegals

You turn around and act like it's up to wal-mart to go even further with out asking...

WHAT HAS OBAMA DONE?

The free market could help in many ways, if every any all monopolies in the health system are eliminated. That includes everything from ending employer sponsored health insurance system, eliminating anti-trust exemptions for health insurance companies, and ending mandatory emergency care in hospitals.

But i don't think there are any Republicans willing to go this far. After all, it would mean giving up a substantial portion of profits and significant decrease in stock prices for the affected companies.

[rebeccajo 14]

Danno -

Wal-Mart started this program how many years ago?

And you bring it up NOW like - wow holy $hit Batman!

What the hell is your problem?

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Forget all the promises Obamer has made about "bringing down the Cost of Healthcare".

The fact is right now you can go to Wal-mart and get many prescriptions filled at an even lower rate than your co-pay might be.

Most people know Walmart will fill many proscriptions for $4 and a 90day supply for $10.

I heard of this but never really checked into it until this week.

I typically pay $10 co-payment at my Drug store, when I picked up the list of covered-drugs at wal-mart, I saw mine was on it Which would mean a 6 dollar savings. (even more for bigger refills)

When I mentioned this to my drug store,... that I want to transfer to wal-mart they said "we will match their price".

(Rite aide).

So thanks to wal-mart and the power of the Market, I will be getting my prescription even cheaper than my Insurance Co-pay.

Hey folks if you like your pharm, see if they have a matching policy as well.

Just one more example of how free markets give better service and lower prices most of the time.

FYI, Walgreens does the same. Amazing what competition can do. Now if the government would drop this power play and detach health insurance from employment and allow fee enterprise amoung insurance providers we could buy helath insuirance from Gieco for $39.95 per month, online, or by telephone.

Cut the bloodsucking attorneys off at the ankles (which the government will have to do anyway) and allow real free trade and see what happens.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Danno logic again.

It is easy to make an already cheap product cheaper. Loss leaders anyone?

Sure, but who cares? Loss leaders result in lower prices for something you want and cannot be achieved except in a free market.

What we need is the same free market pressures on insurance companies, and government is not the way to do it.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Of course we should all thank "made in china mart".. oh I mean Wal-Mart after all they are a prefect example of blood thirsty uncontrolled greed and capitalism. Wal-Mart and organizations like it are slowly but surely taking away our choices and our options everyday. I still prefer the health system back home.. there is no charge for prescriptions and no need to be held hostage by Wal-Mart.

I find it amazing anyone would dispute this, or think it it is anything but a great benefit to all Americans. they have to have their head so far up their @ss!

I would gladly pay $4 for a month's supply of meds rather than have the govenment touch my helathcare. I think also the point of this is that free market pressure (WalMart) has created the same prices at Rite Aid and Walgreens, definitely not companies known for exploiting workers. I know for a fact (as I am retired from them) that Walgreens offers excellent wages and benefits and thanks to their success many of their "regular employees" retire as millionaires and that is not a joke! I promise you any manager, asst. manager. pharmacist or pharmacy tech that has been with Walgreens a few years has a portfolio that would blow you away!

This is just a solid example of what happens when the free market is allowed to work, now if we can just extend it.

[Peikko 1,575]

Danno logic again.

It is easy to make an already cheap product cheaper. Loss leaders anyone?

Sure, but who cares? Loss leaders result in lower prices for something you want and cannot be achieved except in a free market.

What we need is the same free market pressures on insurance companies, and government is not the way to do it.

What? Loss leaders are cheap products that can be sold cheaply or even given away. They have little to no effect on the price of more expensive goods. In the case of meds, you are clean out of luck (pocket) if you don't have one of the common illnesses. Most meds are never going to be cheap and the wal-marts of this world will not even bother to offer them.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Of course we should all thank "made in china mart".. oh I mean Wal-Mart after all they are a prefect example of blood thirsty uncontrolled greed and capitalism. Wal-Mart and organizations like it are slowly but surely taking away our choices and our options everyday. I still prefer the health system back home.. there is no charge for prescriptions and no need to be held hostage by Wal-Mart.

... you mean "no charge to you?"

I doubt people back home are producing medications simply to give them away to the good citizens.

So tell me who it is that is paying for those meds you get for nothing?

Taxes, plain and simple the people pay for the medications needed by the people. I know that sounds to some like the worst thing ever but I'd rather vote for and elect those who control the medicine with my ballot than allow some faceless unelected for profit company control it.

I will make you adeal. I will pay my $4 per month and you pay yours...OK?

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Danno logic again.

It is easy to make an already cheap product cheaper. Loss leaders anyone?

Sure, but who cares? Loss leaders result in lower prices for something you want and cannot be achieved except in a free market.

What we need is the same free market pressures on insurance companies, and government is not the way to do it.

What? Loss leaders are cheap products that can be sold cheaply or even given away. They have little to no effect on the price of more expensive goods. In the case of meds, you are clean out of luck (pocket) if you don't have one of the common illnesses. Most meds are never going to be cheap and the wal-marts of this world will not even bother to offer them.

Again, the point is free market. The example is also given of Lasik surgery. Another good example. when we allow the market to compete, it will, it has to. Will Walmart offer bypass surgery? No and of course such points are only made by people unable to make a case for government control of healthcare. But will it reduce the cost of what we have currently...absolutely! There is no pressure o the medical industry to reduce costs. Insurance companies keep paying it, they keep raising rates because they are in protected markets and have no real competition. While Walmart may never do surgery, if we eliminate the restrictions on who can sell insurance they may just start to offer health insurance, they have already branched into banking and international money transfers...why not? If not Walmart, someone else will do it. And I would much rather keep my tax money and spend it on my own insurance

[Peikko 1,575]

The point is, anyone can get cheap care now, with all the waste and ####### going on, if the problem they have is cheap to treat. That's not where the problems with health care lie.

[Heracles 417]

Danno, tell me you are joking?

First off, walmart is using generics. Generics are neither the same, nor regulated, nor tested as are the original brand name version. Various studies have shown that generics dosage also varies greatly.

Not to mention, various family members and friends who research medication refuse to use generics.

Edited November 11, 2009 by Booyah!

[Danno 1,228]

Danno, tell me you are joking?

First off, walmart is using generics. Generics are neither the same, nor regulated, nor tested as are the original brand name version. Various studies have shown that generics dosage also varies greatly.

Not to mention, various family members and friends who research medication refuse to use generics.

No, actually, I was getting generics to start with at the price I quoted.

I wish someone "in the know" would comment more of the quality of generics, I have never had a problem and never heard that they are being cooked up in some garage somewhere without FDA oversight.

AT ANY RATE: Generics are widely used and Walmart has made them a whole lot cheaper.

[Marilyn. 340]

my husband has been using generic blood pressure medication for a few years now..

[Danno 1,228]

Danno logic again.

It is easy to make an already cheap product cheaper. Loss leaders anyone?

Sure, but who cares? Loss leaders result in lower prices for something you want and cannot be achieved except in a free market.

What we need is the same free market pressures on insurance companies, and government is not the way to do it.

What? Loss leaders are cheap products that can be sold cheaply or even given away. They have little to no effect on the price of more expensive goods. In the case of meds, you are clean out of luck (pocket) if you don't have one of the common illnesses. Most meds are never going to be cheap and the wal-marts of this world will not even bother to offer them.

Again, the point is free market. The example is also given of Lasik surgery. Another good example. when we allow the market to compete, it will, it has to. Will Walmart offer bypass surgery? No and of course such points are only made by people unable to make a case for government control of healthcare. But will it reduce the cost of what we have currently...absolutely! There is no pressure o the medical industry to reduce costs. Insurance companies keep paying it, they keep raising rates because they are in protected markets and have no real competition. While Walmart may never do surgery, if we eliminate the restrictions on who can sell insurance they may just start to offer health insurance, they have already branched into banking and international money transfers...why not? If not Walmart, someone else will do it. And I would much rather keep my tax money and spend it on my own insurance

She won't concede the point until every medicine and every medical procedure is also 4 bucks... buts that MC.

She will however have faith that Obama care will be cheaper... and better.

[Heracles 417]

No, actually, I was getting generics to start with at the price I quoted.

I wish someone "in the know" would comment more of the quality of generics, I have never had a problem and never heard that they are being cooked up in some garage somewhere without FDA oversight.

AT ANY RATE: Generics are widely used and Walmart has made them a whole lot cheaper.

So because you assume generics are the same and want to use generics, the entire government should adopt walmart's approach? Common Sense 101: Nobody gives you something cheap, without cutting corners. Anyway, I guess you believe that walmart has been a positive for America, therefore, it justifies the mentality.

If you want to ask a legitimate question, why not ask why the exact same medication costs up to 90% less when purchased overseas? Not to mention, it comes in blister packs sealed from the factory rather than in yellow vials.

Edited November 11, 2009 by Booyah!

[Niels Bohr 72]

Generics must be approved by the FDA. I mean, whether the quality exists, I think it's more with the chemistry that says whether or not your body likes generics or not. Some people's body may work better with generics, while, they may not work generics. So, for those who use generics and works, great for them.

Edited November 11, 2009 by Niels Bohr