Beginning today, Smith's Food & Drug stores will sell customers generic prescription drugs for $4, following retailers such as Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Target and drug companies that offer 90-day mail-in prescription programs.
The offer is open to all customers, regardless of whether they have insurance, but is limited to a list of about 300 generic drugs.
Customers will pay either $4 or their insurance co-payment, whichever is less, said Marsha Gilford, Smith's vice president of public affairs.
"There's lots of pressure on people in terms of making ends meet," Gilford said. "Businesses are asked to be more creative to help reduce health costs. This is one way in which Smith's is able to do that."
She noted that Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. in his State of the State speech included a request for everyone to look to how health costs can be reduced. About 300,000 Utahns lack health insurance. Huntsman has said he wants health-care reform in Utah. Members of Utah Legislature have proposals, including HB133, a measure that passed in the House of Representatives unanimously last week that calls for a a task force to study the issue.
Gilford declined to reveal exactly how Smith's will make money by giving away prescriptions for $4, except to say that "this is something that will draw many new customers into our stores for this savings opportunity."
In 2006, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club began offering $4 generics, and Target announced it would match Wal-Mart's prices. At the time, the National Community Pharmacists Association criticized the news, calling it a "PR stunt."
The association said there are only about 150 different drugs among the 331 prescriptions offered under the Wal-Mart plan. For instance, there were 12 different versions of the antibiotic amoxicillin.
Gilford acknowledged that the Smith's program will not cover all drugs, but said the medications on the list "are definitely the most popular."
The Smith's program will beat mail-in prescription programs, Gilford said, because patients will have the benefit of a one-on-one consultation with a pharmacist, who is aware of all the medications a patient takes and can warn them about risks of mixing them.
For a list of drugs that will cost $4, visit www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/generic or by calling 877-479-5478.
E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com