Posted on 08/17/2007 7:47:18 AM PDT by ClaireSolt
Often, when people want to slam Republicans to being spenders, they cite the Medicare Modernization Act saying it will cost 8 trilion dollars and is the biggest new entitlement since Medicare was passed in the 1960's. These people ignore the effect of infusing competitive market forces in this measure. They have pushed prices down to the point that now prescription drugs are free in Florida. Here is how that has happened.
About three years ago this bill set the giants of the retail and insurance industries at each other to compete for the business of millions of seniors for prescription drug coverage. In addtion to insurance companies we saw Walmart and Walgreen enter this market. After about a year, Walmart offered one $4 price for generics for all customers. Target quickly matched that offer. Now, Florida's premier grocer, Publix, has announced that it will fill all prescriptions free. Surely, the retailers ae using drugs as a loss leader to drive more business to their stores. Also, the cost has to be factored into their prices. At the same time, know that they have negotiated the lowest possible prices, because they still have to compete with the other stores. Drug customers aren't suporting a building with ten thousand bureucrat price fixers in Washington.
This is a terrific success and conservatives should study it, understand it, and praise those who made it happen. We were being hammered weekly with rising health care costs, but those prophets of doom have gone quiet, lately. Free enterprise explains why.
Deceptive headline. Only run-of-the-mill generics are “free” but most Seniors require expensive, still in patent “name brand” drugs that can cost hundreds or even thousands per month.
This should be in breaking news.
So have they stopped paying the pharmacists?
Everything is free. The economy is now powered by magical unicorns who fart out $100 bills.
I believe Publix is only giving 9 antibiotics away for free. Publix is offering some free prescription drugs at all its stores with pharmacies. They include seven popular antibiotics, including penicillin.
If all drugs were free, the $1400 per month I pay would justify a plane trip for sure.
Its only a few generic antibiotics. Publix is a great store to shop in. They actually have customer service!
Publix is offering seven generic antibiotics (and only these seven drugs) free-of-charge. It’s also stopped matching the general $4 generic policy at some of its competitors. I can’t link to the article due to FR’s policies, but a GOOGLE for “Publix’s free-drug offer has flip side” will take you to coverage of Puplix’s policy.
No. Publix is providing a list of seven common antiobiotics "without cost" to the customer for 14-day prescriptions. These include penicillin and amoxicillin. All prescriptions are NOT free.
Powdered unicorn horn will cure anything. But just try to buy some - I hear the drug companies bought up the patents and are keeping it off the market.
Hey - facts don’t matter in a vanity!!!!
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/08/09/Business/Publix_ditches_4_drug.shtml
there’s a link to the info about them offering free antibiotics but stopping the $4 generics they were offering to match Walmart
Woo Hoo! Free free free!! This working BS is for SUCKERS!!
;->
If you are paying $1400 for prescription drug coverage which averages $41/mo, there is no hope for you.
So are you going to come back and correct your factual errors in your vanity?
I repeated the report I heard on Publix. If it is not correct, I apologize. However, I must say it is discouraging how quickly you pick up on the negativity of the MSM. One would think that anyone could calculate that free antibiotics and $4 generics save people a ton of money. If you want to go along with the negativity in that Tampa article, I am sorry for you and me.
You are right milguy.

LOL. Nice new york times behavior. You came here and posted a vanity in news/activism saying how all the naysayers were.
To quote you:
“Often, when people want to slam Republicans to being spenders, they cite the Medicare Modernization Act saying it will cost 8 trilion dollars and is the biggest new entitlement since Medicare was passed in the 1960’s. These people ignore the effect of infusing competitive market forces in this measure. They have pushed prices down to the point that now prescription drugs are free in Florida. Here is how that has happened.”
You say “these people ignore the effect” - but you don’t even have your facts straight! You’re trying to lecture people based on faulty information!
You’re trying to defend liberal republican behavior and the only way you can do it is to post a vanity that is based in bogus “facts”. Now that you’re being called on it you play the victim card.
If I were you I’d ask the moderators to pull the thread to avoid long term embarrassment.
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