Is Wal-Mart's Drug Plan Worth Using?

For the first time in my life I do not have health insurance. After losing a job and taking my cobra benefit to the end being diabetic has prevented me, as an independent self employed person, to get insurance. I live in Alabama and this state has a high risk pool. The cost is exorbitant and few can afford to join. Though available to anyone with a pre-existing condition coming off cobra, only 1,400 people are currently able to afford this coverage. I applied for an individual Blue Cross policy with the understanding that preexisting conditions would not be covered for 365 days and I informed them of my diabetes. The denial letter said I was turned down for diabetes. They refused any coverage at all. I was extremely concerned that I would not be able to afford my medications.

Having been employed by a local hospital meant that my Blue Cross coverage only allowed me to get services from that hospital. If I wanted to get the full benefit of my coverage I had to use the doctors affiliated to that hospital and the retail pharmacy in that hospital. One location - no choices. I could get a 90 day supply of medication for $10 but often it was $15 or more. I always felt the drug coverage was good and was not happy to have lost it.

My doctor told me to go to Wal-Mart.

When I expressed concern to my doctor she encouraged me to go to Wal-Mart because they had a very inexpensive way to get the medications I needed. I was concerned that I would have to prove my income or be living under the poverty line. I thought I would be embarrassed to ask for assistance. So, I checked it out online.

Start at Wal-Mart.com

When you visit the website you click on 'pharmacy' and then on 'transfer prescriptions'. The site will allow you to enter up to seven prescriptions. So, with vials in hand, I did just that. I noticed that a few had no refills but I entered them anyway. I still had two additional prescriptions that needed to be transferred but I held them aside and planned to take them with me when I went to pick up the prescriptions. Then I was asked to choose a location. There is a Wal-Mart 1.53 miles from my home and so I chose that location. In about a minute I receive an email telling me the order had been received. About two hours later I received another email telling me my prescriptions were ready. I braced myself for the embarrassing encounter I expected at the store.

Welcome to Wal-Mart

The pharmacy had big signs about their prescription plan. They were charging $4.00 for a thirty day supply and $10.00 for a 90 day supply of over 300 medications. There was no application, nothing to join, no intrusive questions. Everyone who comes to Wal-Mart will pay that fee for covered medications. No insurance is required or asked for. Of the seven I had requested 4 were ready. Two had been filled for 90 days and one for 30 days. One I actually didn't need this time, and they graciously took it back. The three prescriptions cost me $38 because one was not covered by the plan. The others were not ready because they did not have refills and the doctor had not returned their call. They took the additional two prescriptions, asked if I wanted to wait for them and filled those also. Those two cost $28 for 90 days because one was also not on the list of covered meds. Frankly, I was totally amazed. It cost me exactly the same amount as I had been paying with insurance.

Many people are critical of Wal-Mart for coming into neighborhoods, charging low prices and hurting local businesses. Many communities refuse to permit Wal-Mart from opening. I am not an economist and cannot comment on their concerns. But I can say, from personal experience, that the prescription drug program is legitimate and a tremendous benefit to those who are struggling today to maintain their health as they lose their insurance and remain under stress to pay their bills. I watched the folks in front of me on line and saw how grateful they were to be able to afford their medications. Does it hurt local pharmacies? I have no idea. But at this time of my life, I really can't worry abut that.