Grady County Rolls Out Cards for Prescription Discounts



By Teresa Williams, Thomasville Times-Enterprise, Ga.

Jun. 19--THOMASVILLE -- Grady County is now participating in the National Association of Counties (NACo) Prescription Drug Discount Card Program

Grady County Board of Commissioners heard about the program during the annual Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) conference in April. Research was conducted and the board recently agreed to join NACo for an annual fee of $472.

"This card is for people who don't have insurance to cover their medications," Commissioner Al Ball said Wednesday.

Emily Landsman, NACo membership coordinator, said the program helps residents who are "uninsured or underinsured" save money on prescription medications not covered by insurance.

"The program started about three and a half years ago as a pilot program," Landsman said. "We listen to our county members to see what issues are facing their residents and kept hearing 'the cost of prescription drugs' over and over."

Landsman said, through April, there are 1,022 participating counties (a third of those in the nation) in the program. It has filled 8.5 million prescriptions and residents have saved $95 million. NACo and its participating counties make no money off the program.

The card, according to the program fact sheet, can be used by all county residents, regardless of age, income or existing health coverage. There are no enrollment forms, membership fees or restrictions or limits on frequency of use.

It is administered through a partnership with Caremark RX Inc., a leading pharmaceutical services company that negotiates with pharmacies to offer discounts on retail prices at the point of purchase.

The average savings is 20 percent off the full retail cost of the prescription medication.

The card is accepted by more than 57,000 pharmacies (chains or independents) nationwide.

Landsman said Grady County pharmacies who are already part of Caremark are Center Drugs, Cox Pharmacy, Fred's Pharmacy, Harvey's Supermarket Pharmacy, Rite-Aid, U Save It, Walgreens and Wal-Mart.

County Clerk Ann Mobley said cards are now available at the tax commissioner's office, tag office and at the courthouse.

Ball does not know the percentage of residents who will benefit from the program, but said it is worthwhile.

"Those who will benefit makes the program worth it," he said. "We will be helping some of our residents with prescription medication costs."