Hassell said the $4 generic prescription program will provide a solution for more than 380,000 uninsured Utah residents, about 14 percent of all Utahns.

"The $4 generic prescription program is not only saving our customers money but it is saving money for the entire system, including Medicare, Medicaid and insurance companies," Hassell said. "Medicaid patients will not see a change in this program. Their co-pays will remain the same and there will be a savings to the state of Utah and to its taxpayers."

Hassell said the list of $4 generic drugs offered will likely grow.

"Many have criticized that Wal-Mart and Sam's Club have rolled out this as an effort to just attract customers," Utah Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said at the news conference announcing the program's expansion into Utah. "I call on other retailers to do the same thing as Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. Four-dollar generic drugs makes sense for Utah."

An Associated Press story noted that No. 2 discounter Target Corp. matched Wal-Mart's discounts. Other chains, including Walgreen Co., said they would not change prices.

"We're not new to this game," Hanks said. "If you go through that list, most people will maybe have one, possibly two, prescriptions out of that whole list. You are not going to find many people who are going to drive considerably out of their way to stand and wait for 45 minutes to get a single prescription to save $2 to $3."

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