Wal-Mart customers in Hawai'i filling prescriptions for many generic drugs will pay less starting today under a discount program rolled out ahead of schedule.

Under the program, a month's supply of about 260 generic drug prescriptions will now cost $4 at all seven Wal-Mart and two Sam's Club stores statewide.

Brianna Quarry, a University of Hawai'i student dropping off a prescription at Wal-Mart's Ke'eaumoku Street store yesterday, said the $4 program is fantastic.

"That's a great big discount," she said, estimating that her typical insurance co-pay to fill a prescription is $10 to $20.

For people without insurance covering prescription drugs, the potential savings can be much larger.

Linda Kauhane, a retired United Airlines employee, said she knows friends and family who sometimes skip medications because they can't afford them.

"Discount (prescription drugs) are really needed," she said. "It's an excellent idea."

According to the Congressional Budget Office, generic drugs already save consumers an estimated $8 billion to $10 billion a year at retail pharmacies.

Discounting some generic drug prices will help boost savings, though the number of drugs in Wal-Mart's $4 program is a fraction of the more than 8,400 generic drugs on the market.

Wal-Mart said generic drugs generally cost 30 percent to 60 percent less than brand-name equivalents, and that the drugs in its $4 program represent more than 25 percent of prescriptions it sells nationwide.

Wal-Mart did not provide costs for any of the prescriptions sold in Hawai'i before expanding the discount program here. But based on published retail prices in Florida where the company launched its discount program in September, savings can be significant.

For example, 10 milligrams of the cardiac drug lisinopril in Palm Beach, Fla., range from $16 to $44 at various pharmacies but was $4 at Wal-Mart and Target. One package of the antibiotic amoxicillin is $8 to $22. And the diabetes drug metformin (500 mg) generally was $20 to $63.

Wal-Mart said participation in certain drug-coverage plans may entitle customers to pay less than $4 for some of the drugs on its discount list.

In addition to the roughly 260 generic drug prescriptions for $4, about 50 prescriptions, including various dosages of the same drug, will be sold in Hawai'i for $9 because state law prohibits selling them for $4, Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin McCall said.

"We will still be saving folks lots of money," he said, adding that Wal-Mart makes money selling the drugs for $4.

Gilbert Freitas, 85, said his medical plan makes the many medications he takes affordable. But the retired Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard rigger said many people struggle to pay for medicine, so he's glad Wal-Mart is discounting many drugs.

"How can people live?" he said. "They have to do something for the poor people."

The world's largest retailer launched its $4 generic drug program in Florida two months ago, and before today had expanded the program to 37 other states. Hawai'i was one of the last 11 states included in the program today.

Wal-Mart didn't plan to expand the program outside Florida until January, but said consumer demand prompted an accelerated rollout.

Other companies, including Target (which plans to open stores in Hawai'i) and Kmart, also recently have discounted generic drugs.

Kmart yesterday touted its plan selling 90-day supplies of some generic prescriptions for $15. Wal-Mart's $4 deal is for 30-day supplies.

Wal-Mart said its discount program is available only for prescriptions filled in person, and does not apply to prescriptions filled by mail order. Refill prescriptions may be ordered online or by telephone, but must be picked up in person at a Wal-Mart or Sam's Club store.

Wal-Mart advises consumers interested in the program to ask their doctor if a generic drug is available for their prescription and if it is right for them.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.