The popular plan, which debuted in Tampa, Fla., in September, now is available at more than 3,000 in-store pharmacies in 38 states, including 40 in Utah.

Through the program, consumers can buy up to a 30-day supply of 331 generic prescriptions for $4.

Wal-Mart pharmacy district manager Derek Garn said the plan offers substantial savings on many popular medications - especially those used by seniors on limited incomes. For example, a 30-day supply of 5mg Warfarin, a generic form of blood-clot prevention medicine Coumadin, now costs significantly less at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club in Utah than at most other pharmacies in the state.

At a news conference Thursday, legislators and a representative of the Utah Department of Health praised the plan for helping low-income and uninsured people. But many other drugs offered through the Wal-Mart plan are no deal, said Glade Baldwin, pharmacist and owner of Hyland Pharmacy in Salt Lake City.

"They are trying to make their public image better, but they are really being so insincere," Baldwin said. "For the vast majority of generic prescriptions, people aren't going to save money."

For example, Baldwin said he charges $10 for a 100-day supply of 10 MG Amitriptyline, a generic form of the antidepressant Elavil.

The same drug under Wal-Mart's $4 plan comes out slightly higher, at $12, for only a 90-day supply.

Baldwin also said he charges $21.24 for a 7-month supply of Fluoxetine, a generic form of Prozac. Under the $4 plan, Wal-Mart would charge $28 for a 7-month supply.

He also noted that much-prescribed generic antidepressants, the Zoloft generic Sertraline and the Wellbutrin SR generic Bupropion, are not on the $4 drug list. "Both are 100 times more popular than what they have on their list - and more expensive," he said.

Another example: Loratadine is the only allergy medicine listed on Wal-Mart's $4 drug list. Baldwin said that drug is the generic of Claritin, which is sold over the counter cheaply anyway.

Baldwin is not the only one grumbling about Wal-Mart's drug plan.

The National Community Pharmacists Association on Thursday blasted Wal-Mart's generic drug plan, saying it provides little savings overall because it includes a "very limited number" of medications. It also said the list of covered drugs include many older formulations - not the newer drugs that are more effective and have fewer side effects.

Kmart on Thursday also questioned the true savings of the Wal-Mart plan, noting that the 90-day generics program it has offered for some time offers a 90-day supply of 94 different generic prescriptions for just $15 at 1,100 Kmart pharmacies nationwide. That works out to $5 for a one-month supply, just $1 higher than Wal-Mart.

Other mail-order prescription programs that allow consumers to buy in bulk offer similar - or greater - savings.

"While Wal-Mart's program appears to be a cost-saver at first glance, Kmart's 90-day program is a better value and time saver for customers, allowing them to return to the store every three months instead of every 30 days to refill their prescriptions," Kmart Pharmacy Vice President Mark Doerr said in a statement.

Rival Target has announced in some other markets it will match Wal-Mart's drug plan. But Target pharmacies along the Wasatch Front on Thursday said they had not yet been notified if or when they would match prices in Utah.

Marie Knickrehm, of Bountiful, who was visiting the Sam's Club pharmacy in Salt Lake City on Thursday, said she was curious to see if the program would benefit her. She has insurance, but her copayments range from $10 to $50, so the $4 plan could provide some savings on some drugs - if she ever needs any that are part of the program.

Would a discount drug plan keep her coming back to shop?

"It definitely would," she said.

Don Dyer, of South Salt Lake, said he, too, will shop at Sam's Club more now that the company is offering its drug plan in Utah. He is convinced the plan will help him and his wife, both of whom take numerous medications, save a lot of money.

Dyer said he and his wife spend about $1,200 a month and said after reviewing the list of drugs on the $4 plan he hopes to save around $500 a month.

"For people on Social Security, it's great," Dyer said. "I won't have to worry about rent as much."

What the plan offers:

* What is it?

The program provides up to a 30-day supply of 331 different prescriptions for only $4. A list of drugs available at that price can be found at www.walmartfacts.com. Click on "Wal-Mart Adds 11 States and More Medicines to $4 Generics Prescription Program." Then click on "$4 Generic Prescription Drug List."

* How does it work?

If you order a drug at the specific strength on the list you will pay $4 for an up-to-30-day supply. If you have an insurance copayment higher than $4, you will still pay only $4.

* Is it always the lowest price?

Not always. It pays to shop around and compare prices of the same generic drug, strength and number of pills with other pharmacies.