Background:

As reported 2 weeks ago in the New York Times and USA Today, Wal-Mart continues to exaggerate the scope of its prescription drug plan initiative. Wal-Mart is now choosing to callously misstate the facts that "nearly 314 generic drugs" are included in this initiative, when, in truth, there are only 143 separate medicines on the list.

As the New York Times reported, "The plan, which is said to cover 314 drugs, includes only about 143 separate medicines in various dosages, like 12 versions of the popular antibiotic Amoxicillin. It leaves out some popular drugs altogether, like the generic version of the cholesterol-lowering treatment Zocor." In addition, with nearly 9,000 generic drugs available, Wal-Mart's drug plan represents less than 1.5 percent of all generics, and includes primarily older generic drugs which are already available at a low cost.

In addition, it is no surprise that Florida Governor Jeb Bush would decide to attend Wal-Mart's press conference given Wal-Mart’s cozy relationship with the Republican Governor. Since 2000, Wal-Mart has helped fund the Republican Party in Florida by donating at least $327,933 to state Republican candidates. In addition, Gov. Bush's administration has helped Wal-Mart, a company with $11.2 billion in annual profits, qualify for millions of dollars in tax breaks - including $2.88 million in tax breaks in 2003.

Most disturbing, despite making it harder for Floridians to qualify for Medicaid assistance, Governor Bush chose to do nothing to make it harder for Wal-Mart to shift its health care costs onto Florida’s taxpayers and opposed legislation that would have made large, profitable corporations like Wal-Mart provide affordable health care for their employees. As a result, over 12,000 Wal-Mart workers were forced onto taxpayer funded public health care assistance at a cost to Florida taxpayers estimated at $60 million every year. Nationally, the Wal-Mart health care crisis cost America’s taxpayers an estimated $1.39 billion.

A fact sheet with citations on the cozy Bush and Wal-Mart relationship is attached below.

The following statement is attributable to Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com:

"It is outrageous that Wal-Mart and Republican Gov. Jeb Bush would stand together and talk about health care when Wal-Mart fails to provide company health care to over half of its employees (750,000) and Gov. Bush opposes legislation requiring corporations to pay their fair share for health care.

But, given Wal-Mart’s ‘miscount’ or exaggeration on the number of generic drugs that are actually included, it seems fitting that Gov. Bush, the guy who helped his brother miscount the ballots in Florida, would be the one to praise Wal-Mart’s exaggerated drug plan.

Ironically, much like Jeb Bush, Wal-Mart seems to have a growing problem with reporting accurate numbers. Whether it’s overstating the number of generic drugs covered under the new initiative, misstating the number of Wal-Mart workers insured by the company, simply contradicting itself on the percentage of full-time workers it has, or even reporting its own same store sales, Wal-Mart seems to have a growing numbers problem.

While we reiterate our support for lowering prescription drug costs, we fear that Wal-Mart’s publicity stunts are only serving to play games with the American people and are a dangerous bait-and-switch on products that are so important to the health and welfare of our nation.

The people of Florida and the American public want and expect corporations like Wal-Mart to pay their fair share for health care. Unfortunately, the only thing the public got today was another right-wing publicity stunt by a Governor and company who support corporate welfare and oppose health care for hard working families.

Once again, we call on Wal-Mart to do the right thing, change, and offer real health care solutions for its employees, instead of the same old publicity stunts we have come to expect.”

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Wal-Mart and Gov. Bush Fact Sheet

Bush Has Helped Wal-Mart Get Millions in Tax Breaks
• Jeb Bush has helped Wal-Mart qualify for millions in tax breaks, including $2.88 million for a 2003 project in Macclenny and $539,000 for a store in Florida City. Facing criticism over the tax-giveaways in 2006, Bush charged that tax breaks were given to companies moving to Florida that paid more than average. Bush also said, "We benefit as a state because we create higher wage jobs." [Associated Press, 2/14/06; St. Petersburg Times, 10/26/03]

Wal-Mart Gave Nearly $330,000 to Florida State Republicans
• Since the 2000 election cycle, Wal-Mart has given at least $327,933 to state Republican candidates through its PAC. . [National Institute on Money in State Politics, www.followthemoney.org ]

Bush Did Wal-Mart's Bidding and Opposed Fair Share Health Care
• Bush announced in February 2006 that he would oppose a measure requiring the largest companies in the state to provide a certain level of health care to their employees. [Associated Press, 2/14/06]

Ironically, Bush made it tougher for people to use Medicaid, but easier for Wal-Mart to force workers on it.

Bush Initiative Degraded Quality of Health Care for Medicaid Recipients
• A proposal that the Sun-Sentinel called "part of Gov. Jeb Bush's No. 1 legislative initiative to revamp" Medicaid included spending caps on coverage, limits on medications, and ending the ability of recipients to see the doctor of their choice. Bush stated his goal was to shift Florida's 2.2 million Medicaid recipients into private managed care. [Sun-Sentinel, 5/3/05]

Bush Ignores the Fact that Florida Taxpayers Subsidize over 12,000 Wal-Mart Workers
• An estimated 12,000 Wal-Mart employees and their dependents are forced onto public health care assistance in Florida. The cost to Florida’s taxpayers to subsidize Wal-Mart's health care costs is estimated at over $60 million. [St. Petersburg Times, March 25, 2005; Report: America Pays, Wal-Mart Saves, 2/06]