Pasco could learn from drug discounts in Hernando
A Times EditorialPublished December 28, 2005
Pasco County officials seeking ways to help residents deal with the high costs of prescription drugs need look no further than to our neighbor to the north.
Hernando County has become the first community in Florida to offer a discount card that can save customers anywhere from 3 to 30 percent - 19 percent on average - on their next prescription purchase.
The beauty of the program is that it costs the county, and thus the taxpayers, absolutely nothing.
There are no claim forms to fill out, no eligibility requirements and no fees for the card, which is available to Hernando residents at participating pharmacies and at the county government center.
Part of a nationwide effort by Caremark, a Nashville pharmaceutical services company, and the National Association of Counties, the RxSavings Plus program offers significant discounts for residents at local pharmacies.
Here is how it works: The card acts as a coupon and gives the holder a discount on prescriptions and certain over-the-counter items not covered by drug insurance. The card cannot be used in combination with other insurance or prescription coverage, but it can be used when insurance does not cover a particular prescription.
Caremark earns a processing fee for every prescription filled with the card. And the advantage to participating pharmacies is that the cards draw additional shoppers to their stores. The county's involvement is to distribute the cards, and Hernando County is making 200,000 available.
The discount cards are not a substitute for health insurance, Caremark spokesman Robert Mead told the Times. A Hernando County official noted, however, that the card provides an upfront discount for those who have signed up for a Medicare D plan.
The card also can be used on certain over-the-counter items, including many diabetic supplies and even pet medications.
More than 59,000 pharmacies nationwide are participating, including CVS, Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Publix. A Caremark Web site, www.advancerx.com offers more details.
So far, more than 150 counties nationwide are taking part in the program, with Hernando becoming the first in Florida to join. Citrus County officials are now researching the program with an eye toward forwarding a proposal to its County Commission in the next two months. Pasco should do likewise.
The initial reports have been encouraging, and officials elsewhere like the component in which Caremark will provide to participating counties a report on how many people are using the cards.
One concern is that the county would have to sign an annual contract with Caremark, which is one of several companies offering the discount cards. Hernando's contract allows either party to get out of the deal, however, so if another company were to offer a better deal, the county could explore that option.
In this era when the costs of prescription drugs and insurance premiums are soaring, every little bit of saving helps. Pasco County would do well to research this idea and consider joining to help share these discounts with its residents, especially the thousands of people who are either uninsured or underinsured.