 |
NACo’s Prescription Drug Discount Card Program saves millions
 |
| Photo by Jim Philipps
At a press conference Oct. 18, Mayor Anthony A. Williams (l) announced that the District of Columbia has joined NACo’s Prescription Drug Discount Card Program. Joining Mayor Williams for the announcement is Andrew Goldschmidt (at podium), NACo’s membership marketing director, and D.C. Councilmember David Catania (r), who chairs the council’s Committee on Health.
|
With 150 counties joining in the last three months, NACo’s Prescription Drug Discount Card program is growing at a fast pace, and the savings for county residents are skyrocketing as well.
NACo members are joining the program at a rate of 10 per week, with 510 counties signed on to date. In the meantime, county residents have saved more than $14.3 million on more than 1.26 million prescriptions, according to figures released in early October. The overall average savings rate is 21.5 percent. Average savings figures have continued to rise every month since the beginning of the program and have prompted positive feedback from county residents, county officials and the press who praise the program’s no application or fee structure, easy to use tear-off card and real savings results.
"My county has just rolled out the NACo Prescription Drug Card Program and we are excited to join the hundreds of counties and city/county governments across the nation that are succeeding in helping their residents with the price of prescription drugs," said Colleen Landkamer, NACo president and Blue Earth County, Minn. commissioner. "The growth of the program and the firsthand testimonials we have received tell us emphatically that it is working. I encourage participating counties to spread the word to others so we can help more county residents across the country."
Articles on the program have appeared in the Seattle Times, Dallas Morning News as well as more than 300 newspapers nationwide and have included editorials crediting counties for taking the initiative on this issue. Participating counties’ populations range from 800 residents to more than 3 million.
Firsthand testimonials received by NACo have also mentioned the significant savings from the cards. One New Hampshire county resident reportedly saved more than $1,000 on one prescription. Other accounts of significant savings have resulted in residents thanking their counties for implementing such a great program.
Even state legislatures are getting on board. Recently, the Oklahoma State Legislature passed a bill enabling Oklahoma counties to participate effective Nov. 1, 2006. In addition, the District of Columbia, a long-standing member of NACo, will be rolling out its program this month.
NACo’s Prescription Drug Program began as 17-county pilot in May 2005.
(For more information on NACo’s Prescription Drug Discount Card Program, visit NACo’s Web site at www.naco.org/drugcard or contact Andrew S. Goldschmidt, CAE, membership marketing director, 202/942-4221 or agoldschmidt@naco.org)
|
|
