Generic Ritalin: Wal-Mart’s Secret $4.00 Prescription Drug

A few days ago, someone told me that generic Ritalin, or methylphenidate, was on Wal-Mart’s $4.00 generic list. Of course, this is incorrect. Wal-Mart does NOT list generic Ritalin, which is usually used to treat either Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as one of their $4.00 medications. Confusion regarding Wal-Mart’s $4.00 generics is nothing new. We’ve previously discussed much of this confusion in The Real Scoop on $4.00 Prescriptions. But people also continually misunderstand which medications are included in this program.

When I told this person that she was wrong, she continued to argue with me, insisting that this medication was $4.00 at Wal-Mart. Even after I showed Wal-Mart’s own list to her, she still insisted on this. So, I took the next step. I called a local Wal-Mart to determine their price for this medication.

And she was correct . . . it was $4.00.

At Wal-Mart, the 5mg and 10mg strengths of generic Ritalin are $4.00 for 60 tablets, $8.00 for 120 tablets, and $10.00 for 180 tablets.

Why is Wal-Mart Hiding this $4.00 Generic?
After calling numerous Wal-Mart Pharmacies regarding this subject, it’s clear to me that many of the pharmacists at these stores don’t even realize that generic Ritalin is on their $4.00 list. However, those pharmacists who were aware of $4.00 generic Ritalin told me that their corporate offices don’t like to promote the fact that they’re selling a controlled substance at a discounted rate.

But methylphenidate isn’t just any controlled substance—it’s a Schedule II controlled substance. According to the DEA, Schedule II drugs—sometimes also called C-II’s—are substances that:

• Have a high potential for abuse.
• Have a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.
• May lead to severe psychological or physical dependence if abused.

With other medications like cocaine, morphine, and opium in this same class, it seems that Wal-Mart is afraid that promoting a discounted rate for a potentially addictive drug could turn into a PR nightmare.

What About Other Pharmacies with $4.00 Prescriptions?
The next obvious question is whether or not other pharmacies, who have developed $4.00 plans of their own to compete with Wal-Mart, also offer generic Ritalin for $4.00. To determine this, I selected two national chains—Target and the grocery store Kroger—which have $4.00 programs that mimic Wal-Mart’s very closely.

I called numerous stores in different parts of the country for each chain, and all of them offered generic Ritalin for $4.00 . . . but the pricing structure was different than Wal-Mart’s. Target charges $4.00 for 30 tablets, $8.00 for 60 tablets, and $12.00 for 90 tablets. Kroger charges $4.00 for 30 tablets, $8.00 for 60 tablets, and $10.00 for 90 tablets. Below is a chart comparing the prices and quantities at the different pharmacies for generic Ritalin 10mg.

(Click to Enlarge)

Not surprisingly, when I called these pharmacies, most of the employees that I spoke with were shocked to learn that they were selling this medication for $4.00. I also asked the personnel at each store whether or not they would match Wal-Mart’s price. Depending on the location, each chain had stores that were willing to match the price . . . but also had other stores that were unwilling to match this price.

Are There Other Hidden $4.00 Generics?
At the conclusion of each phone call I made, I asked the employee I was speaking to if there were other medications on their $4.00 program that were unlisted. Without fail, I was always told that generic Ritalin is the only such medication. However, considering that most of the people I talked to at these pharmacies weren’t even aware of the $4.00 price of generic Ritalin, there still may be other drugs out there that are available at a discounted rate . . . and yet not advertised.