| Although it caused quite a stir when the idea was | | | | idea. It's hard to imagine what downside there |
| first spoken of, the plan for Wal-Mart to offer | | | | could be. ... The only change will be that others will |
| generic prescriptions for $4 each has faded from | | | | try and meet these prices." |
| the limelight. A perfect time to approach the topic | | | | But, of course, there is a downside. Most private |
| again. Mainly, how does this sort of price slashing | | | | pharmacists have no way of matching these |
| benefit the American mega-corp? And, how do | | | | kinds of prices. It has long been the same |
| the ripples of this venture effect the rest of the | | | | argument against Wal-Mart that they drive |
| pond? | | | | anything smaller than them out of business. This is |
| To tackle the first question is very easy. Why | | | | certainly a consequence worth noting. There is |
| would such a seemingly profit hungry corporation | | | | another very human consequence to note. |
| suddenly drastically slash the prices on | | | | People in America have long carried the heavy |
| medications? Because they expect to make a | | | | load of the insurance industry and its less than |
| great deal of net revenue doing it. While viewed | | | | helpful attitude about helping people. Now we not |
| by many as a selfless act, the Wal-Mart drug plan | | | | only carry the weight, but suffer from it in very |
| is not intended to run at any kind of loss. Not a | | | | real ways. We are a country that does not take |
| single statement Wal-Mart has made says | | | | preventive measures in health care, we only react |
| anything about that, in fact, they readily admit | | | | to illness and injury that poses a great threat to |
| they expect and want to profit from this | | | | us. We suffer many ills because we cannot afford |
| program. Because Wal-Mart can buy enormous | | | | to treat them before they stop us. Four dollar |
| quantities of product, the price for doing so is | | | | prescriptions can make a very real difference in |
| extremely low per unit. However, instead of | | | | this climate. A family formerly faced with the |
| making the kinds of profits that turn the heads of | | | | choice of food or medicine will be able to afford |
| any suspicious consumer, they will do so at a | | | | limited health care much more easily. This certainly |
| much lower profit margin per unit. | | | | does not cure the problem of the system, but at |
| And that is where the magic is. They will make | | | | least it staunches the bleeding. We must weigh in |
| less money in each sale, but the idea is that low | | | | our minds and hearts if the price of losing small |
| prices attract large numbers of people. In doing | | | | pharmacies is equitable in terms of gains in |
| this they increase overall profit by simply driving | | | | affordable medicine. |
| up the volume of sales. There is no happy, | | | | This could be a rare example in modern times of |
| selfless, or saintly motivation here, only the raising | | | | dedicated work toward raising profits is working |
| of the bottom line in a way that only very large | | | | to also help people live better. Not only that, but it |
| and economically powerful corporations can do. | | | | has been done without mandate by the federal |
| However, for every action there is a reaction. | | | | government. This may be a very small change, |
| In an article by David Harsanyi of the Denver | | | | possibly ambivalent, step in the right direction. But |
| post, Dr. Jeffrey Zax, an economics professor at | | | | in a nation where many people cannot afford |
| the University of Colorado ay Boulder, was | | | | insurance for health care at all, even troubled |
| quoted as saying this. | | | | baby steps are better than digging deeper |
| I don't see any downside to it. I think it's a terrific | | | | trenches. |