Forty-eight percent (48%) believe that Wal-Mart has the power to reduce the cost of prescription drugs across the country. A Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 adults found that just 22% disagree while 30% are not sure.

Americans who rarely or never shop at Wal-Mart are evenly divided about the ability of the retail giant to reduce the cost of prescription drugs nationwide. By a 3-to-1 margin, Wal-Mart shoppers believe the company can have such a positive impact.

Wal-Mart announced recently that it has begun selling approximately 300 prescription drugs at a cost of $4.00 for a one-month supply. The program currently is being piloted at 65 of the retail giant’s stores in the Tampa, Florida area and will expand statewide in January. The roll out will spread to additional states in the New Year.

The announcement made headlines and 57% of our survey’s respondents report seeing news of the announcement. Americans over age 40 were more likely to be aware of the news than those under 40.

When asked if the plan will cause Wal-Mart’s competitors to follow suit by dropping their prescription prices, 45% say it will and 20% say it won’t.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores estimates the current cost for a month’s supply of generic prescription drugs is $28.74; that figure jumps to $96.01 for name-brand drugs.

The survey found that Wal-Mart is now viewed favorably by 60% of Americans. That’s down slightly from 69% earlier in the year. The decline comes largely among those who do not shop at the store. This might suggest that political attacks in the political season have had some impact on perceptions of the firm.