# Wal-Mart .vs. VA medicines



## John Harrelson (Dec 21, 2006)

ADMIN, is there any chance of getting a "VETERANS" section added to the forum ?

Many if not most retired RVers are military veterans and a veterans section would be like a "coffee pot to a sailor".. a place where veterans could discuss things pertaining to the RV life style and it's problems with military benefits... like obtaining medicines when traveling or military campgrounds... etc...

Here is something that all veterans need to know about... it concerns the Wal-Mart $4 medicines...
I hope its ok to post it here, if not I hope you will place it where it belongs. 

Thanks, 
John

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At my last appointment with the VA doctor I asked about the possibility of having him write out a prescription for my medicines so I could buy them from Wal-Mart at half the price of the VA's co-pay..

He said sure, he would be glad to do it.. He also said that a lot of his patients were asking for the same thing...

I take five medicines that cost me $8 each for a 30 day supply from the VA.. 
Thats $40 a month or $120 every 90 days

Wal-Mart has the same medicines for only $4 per 30 day supply.
Thats a $20 saving each month.. or a $60 saving every three months when I get the prescription refilled..

I was concerned about getting in trouble with the VA by buying medicines from an outside source... but according to the doctor, there was nothing in the rules that prohibited it..

He simply canceled all the prescriptions I had with the VA's pharmacy automatic mailing service.. but still showed me using the medicines in my medical file..

The VA prescriptions were for one year with a 90 day supply being mailed out every three months.. 

The VA doctor wrote out the Wal-Mart prescription the same way... 

I can get a 90 day supply of each medicine four times during the next year before having to go back to the doctor and having the prescriptions renewed.

If you do the math,... I went from $480 a year with the VA pharmacy down to only $240 a year by buying from Wal-Mart..

That $240 savings will pay for a three month supply of propane during the cold winter months.

I recommend every veteran go to Wal-Mart and get the latest print out of their "4 dollar" medicines and take it your VA doctor... 

He will tell you which of your medications are on the Wal-Mart list and then write out a paper prescription for them...

If your medicines are not on the list this month, keep checking back with Wal-Mart every few months.

The Wal-Mart Pharmacist said the list was updated several times a year an new medicines were always being added to the list..

best wishes,
John
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## John Harrelson (Dec 22, 2006)

Re: Wal-Mart .vs. VA medicines

UPDATE:

Just recieved this from a Woodall's member named GREY MOUNTAIN,, 

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From the VA via Air Force Times...

VA Facilitates Half-price Prescriptions.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is helping some veterans get generic prescriptions for half the VA price.

Veterans in health care priority categories 4 through 8 normally must make an $8 co-pay for drugs from the VA that might be available at the $4 rate being offered by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. 

*VA deputy undersecretary William Feeley has told VA providers they can write prescriptions that can be filled at any private-sector pharmacy.* 

They cannot transfer the veterans' prescriptions directly to a private-sector pharmacy, but they can write new prescriptions if they meet state requirements and cancel existing VA prescriptions. 

For the $4 drugs available at Wal-Mart, visit http://i.walmart.com/i/if/hmp/fusion/genericdruglist.pdf 
and for the Target drugs go to http://sites.target.com/images/pharmacy/pharmacy_4dollar_program_list.pdf


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