John Bos re: Wal-Mart vs. the STRS Express Scripts Rx prices

From John Curry, May 5, 2008

Subject: John Bos re. Wal-Mart vs. the STRS Express Scripts Rx prices

I, after reading John's letter below and requesting permission to distribute, just got off the phone with another STRS retiree and cross-referenced Wal-Mart's prices with his walk-in pharmacy using his STRS's Express Scripts card and discovered that he will now save nearly $100 per month by using the Wal-Mart Rx! A more detailed list will be forthcoming when he gets a chance to individually list his comparisons. THIS IS A SAVINGS TO STRS RETIREES. Here is the link for the Wal-Mart Rx price list: http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/four_dollar_drug_list.pdf

P.S. No, I don't get a "cut" for plugging Wal-Mart...I just care about STRS retirees.

John [Curry]

From John Bos, May 5, 2008

I still fail to understand how Wal Mart can sell these for the $4.00 rate which equals $12.00 for 3 months. The STRS plan which is subsidized by the retirees must pay $25.00 for 3 months. This is a difference of $13.00 plus the STRS contribution!

Good service from Express Scripts, BUT?????????????

We spent over $15,000 for our medical coverage in 2007. How much do the STRS Associates spend for their family plan, co payment, and deductibles?

John Bos

From John Curry, May 5, 2008
Subject: ...a little more on Wal-Mart's $10 Rx for 90 days...K Mart joins in the fracas but only slightly

www.pharmalot.com

Wal-Mart: Generics At $10 For A 90-Day Supply

May 5th, 2008 10:43 am By Ed Silverman The world’s biggest retailer will offer about 350 generic meds at the low price and, according to a statement, has also added $9 meds to treat breast cancer, menopause and hormone deficiency as part of a plan to save women more than $100 million annually. Here’s the list of drugs.

The retailer, which started its $4 generic program in 2006, faces growing competition from Kmart, Walgreen, and CVS/Caremark, which are targeting Americans who lack insurance to pay for their drugs, Bloomberg News notes, adding that nearly a third of Wal-Mart’s over-the-counter drugs now sell for $4 or less.

“We are trying to help our customers through tough times,” John Agwunobi, Wal-Mart’s president of health and wellness, says today on a conference call. Some elderly couples are sharing heart meds and some consumers are delaying purchases, he continues, adding that purchasing a 90-day supply may help consumers save on co-pays and avoid mail-order delays.

Kmart, which sells three-month supplies of some generic drugs for $15, said in March it would sell over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin and decongestants for $1 each, Bloomberg points out.