Wal-mart did what?
Is Wal-Mart good for HealthCare?
I recently read an article on the CnnMoney website that explained that Wal-Mart was introducing a program to sell over 300 types of generic medication for as low as $4 dollars a prescription. The goal of this plan is to increase foot traffic in stores while people are waiting on their medication. The drugs available will include a range of different medications including anti-depressants and anti-psychotics. This repricing of drug medications is a direct attempt to compete with Walgreens, America’s current number 1 provider of prescription medication.
What strikes me about this article is that this is a rare example of how a corporation’s self-interest and pursuit for profit actually is leading to a social good. Affordable medication is vital for America and few solutions have been offered in the public sector but competition is driving change in the private sector. It is important for there to be more affordable drugs on the market and if this is accomplished by self-interested and profit-seeking corporations, then that is a net gain. Wal-mart has a long track record of social injustices that are well documented and many argue that Wal-Mart is bad for America and the world. But if their program does make prescription medication more affordable to people that need them, then this is indeed a rare example of competition driving social change for the better.