|
Westmoreland County to Launch Prescription Drug Discount Card Program For All
County Residents March 1;
Discount Cards Will Offer Average Savings of 20 Percent off Retail Price
Posted 1-29-08
The Westmoreland County Board of Commissioners
today announced plans to launch a prescription drug discount
card program March 1 to help consumers cope with the high price
of prescription drugs. The county will make free prescription
drug discount cards available through a program sponsored by the
National Association of Counties (NACo) that offer average
savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly
prescribed drugs.
Information about the program is available
on-line through the Westmoreland County homepage at
www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/rxcard or by calling the County
Helpline toll-free at 800.222.8848.
The cards may be used by all county residents,
regardless of age, income, or existing health coverage, and are
accepted at all major pharmacy chains, including Giant Eagle,
Wal-Mart and Rite-Aid, as well as most local pharmacies. A
complete list of participating pharmacies is available through
the county’s website.
"We are proud to be one of the counties
nationwide participating with NACo," said Commissioner Chairman
Tom Balya. "The NACo prescription discount card offers
significant savings for the uninsured and underinsured residents
of our county, and even those with prescription coverage can use
the card to save money on drugs that are not covered by their
health plan. Residents do not have to be Medicare beneficiaries
to be eligible for this program."
There will be no cost to county taxpayers for
NACo, and Westmoreland County to make these money-saving cards
available to residents. Details will be made available to the
public before March 1 to specify how residents may obtain the
cards.
"Using the NACo prescription discount card will
be easy -- simply present it at a participating pharmacy," said
Commissioner Tom Ceraso. "There is no enrollment form, no
membership fee and no restrictions or limits on how often it’s
used. Cardholders and their family members may use the card any
time their prescriptions are not covered by insurance."
All medications are covered except for
over-the-counter (OTC) products. As long as the medication
requires a prescription written by a doctor, it is covered under
the NACo card.
This plan is not insurance; it is a prescription
discount program. The card provides immediate discounts at the
pharmacy. Upon presenting your card to the pharmacist, you will
pay the lower of a discounted price or the pharmacy's regular
retail price. There are no claim forms to fill out and no limit
to the number of times you can use the card.
The discount card program is administered by
Caremark Rx, Inc.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is a
national organization that represents county governments
throughout the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides
essential services to the nation's 3,066 counties, advancing
county issues before the federal government, improving the
public’s understanding of county government, and providing
value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money.
For more information about the NACo program,
visit
www.caremark.com/naco. |
