BENTONVILLE, Ark. – September 16, 2008 – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is once again driving unnecessary health care costs out of the system and passing the savings along to its customers through the pharmacy aisles. People with diabetes now have some new financial relief on their diabetes testing products as Walmart today announced that it is offering $9 ReliOn® diabetes management products nationwide* as part of the retailer’s affordable pharmacy program. Available exclusively at Walmart, ReliOn $9 products include: ReliOn Ultima Blood Glucose Meter; ReliOn Ultima Blood Glucose Test Strips (20 ct); and the ReliOn A1c test (glycated hemoglobin hbA1c).
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 23.6 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, of which over 5.7 million are undiagnosed. In additional, 57 million Americans are estimated to have prediabetes.
A customer with diabetes testing once per day can save more than $200 annually** simply from utilizing ReliOn brand testing supplies versus the average cost of test supplies from other brands.
“This latest expansion of our health care offering comes from our commitment to help people affected by diabetes save money so they can live better,” said Dr. John Agwunobi, senior vice president and Walmart’s president of its health and wellness division. “We are pleased to introduce $9 ReliOn testing products that address some of the unique health care needs of diabetes patients. By providing affordable, quality solutions we hope to positively impact the lives of the millions already living with the disease.”
With the $9 ReliOn diabetes management products, Walmart underscores its commitment to offering quality, cost-effective health care solutions, which is particularly important as health care costs continue to be a top concern for customers. Recently, a leading consumer publication recognized ReliOn’s Ultima Blood Glucose Meter as a best value at $9 compared to higher priced models ranging from $20 to $85.
Understanding that it also takes collaboration to improve the lives of people affected by diabetes, Walmart has developed a strong relationship with the American Diabetes Association (ADA). In recent months, the retailer has sponsored ADA Diabetes EXPO events in Atlanta, Boston and Tampa. Together, through efforts such as these, the retailer is helping educate customers and associates about the importance of living well with and without diabetes.
To date, Walmart’s affordable pharmacy program has saved customers more than $1 billion. Given Walmart customers can now save on ReliOn diabetic testing supplies, this number will likely grow. For further information on the program, customers can visit www.walmart.com/pharmacy or discuss the program with their local Walmart or Sam’s Club pharmacist.
*Products and pharmacies are not available in North Dakota
** Average costs based on retail prices of similar blood glucose testing strips sold at Walmart
About Walmart
Walmart operates Walmart discount stores, supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club locations in the United States. The Company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom and, through a joint venture, in India. The Company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT. More information about Walmart can be found by visiting
www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at
www.walmart.com and
www.samsclub.com.
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Ed. Note: The terms “Walmart” and “Walmart Stores” refer to the corporate entity. “Walmart” expressed as one word and without hyphenation, refers to the brand name of the Company’s U.S. operations. This distinction came after the Company announced the introduction of a new logo for its U.S. store operations in June.