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