Report: Wal-Mart expanding drug program

New York City Wal-Mart is expanding a pilot prescription-drug program for companies, according to the Wall Street Journal. The program offers businesses low-priced drugs if they sign up to buy directly from Wal-Mart’s in-store pharmacies vs. contracting to buy through pharmacy-benefit managers.

Wal-Mart launched the trial in September with heavy-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Co., which provides prescription coverage for 70,000 employees and their dependents. The program has proved so successful that Caterpillar has been able to reduce its drug costs enough that it waived co-payments on generic prescriptions purchased from Wal-Mart, according to the report.

Wal-Mart expanded the trial to other companies last month, the Wall Street Journal reported.