News and Alerts
Posted: May 5, 2008
Contact: Supervisor Valerie Brown - 707-565-2241
Lynn Scuri - 707-565-4417
National Association of Counties Prescription Drug Discount Card Program Available in Sonoma County - May 7th
22% Savings on Prescription Purchases
Sonoma, CA - Recently, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with National Association of Counties' (NACo) and CVS/Caremark Inc. to bring the NACo Prescription Drug Discount program to Sonoma County residents. Sonoma has joined the over 920 counties participating in the United States. To date, participating counties across the county have saved more than $60 million on their prescription drug purchases at their local pharmacy.
The NACo prescription drug discount cards, called "Sonoma County Rx" in Sonoma County, are free to obtain and easy to use. There are no age, health or income restrictions on who can use the cards and there are no registration forms the fill out. The program offers uninsured or underinsured consumers with immediate, at-the-register discounts on their prescription drug purchases through a nationwide network of 57,000 participating pharmacists that includes most retail pharmacies in Sonoma County.
We are very pleased to bring this program to Sonoma County and we know it will be a great benefit to members of our community," said Supervisor Valerie Brown. "People are saving an average of 22 percent on their prescriptions not covered by insurance, and it's simple to use - no enrollment forms or application to complete, and the card is free to all. You can even use this card for prescription coverage for your pets," continued Brown.
Sonoma County Rx discount cards are available at over 20 distributions sites throughout the county including public libraries, community clinics, senior centers and other county offices. Once consumers get their discount card, they can simply bring it to any one of the many participating retail pharmacies in the county and obtain a discount on their prescription drugs not covered by insurance. Discounts even apply to prescriptions for pets when purchased from retail pharmacies.
Supervisor Valerie Brown will help launch the new program in Sonoma County at an informational meeting to be held at the Vintage House Senior Center at 264 First Street East in Sonoma on May 7th from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. The informational meeting is open to the public, and discount cards will be available for distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Program
What is the NACo Prescription Discount Program?
NACo, in partnership with CVS/Caremark Rx, Inc. of Nashville, Tenn., have created the NACo Prescription Discount Card Program to help consumers residing in NACo member counties save money on their prescription drug purchases at participating pharmacies. Specifically, the free cards provide at-the-register savings for consumers who have no prescription drug insurance or need certain medications that are not covered by their insurance. NACo provides the cards as a benefit to its member counties.
How much will consumers save?
The average savings is about 22 percent. Savings may range from 13 to 34 percent depending on the medication. Consumers may save up to 50 percent on mail order purchases.
What are the costs associated with the program?
There is no cost to the county, county taxpayers, or consumers to participate. Caremark negotiates the discounts directly with participating pharmacies. Neither NACo nor the participating counties receive any revenue from the program.
How easy is it to participate?
There are no enrollment fees, no forms to fill out, no age or income requirements, and no medical condition restrictions for consumers to use the NACo card. In addition, the entire family is covered with just one card and virtually all commonly prescribed medicine is covered.
Who is eligible to obtain and use the card?
The NACo prescription discount cards are provided free to residents living in participating NACo member counties across the country. A national network of more than 57,000 retail pharmacies will honor the card.
Can consumers use their card in conjunction with their insurance to get a bigger discount?
No. The NACo card cannot be used in conjunction with other prescription drug insurance on any one purchase. However, consumers with insurance are allowed to use the card to purchase prescriptions that are not covered by their insurance.
Will consumers always receive the lowest retail price?
Yes. On occasion, pharmacies will price a particular medication lower than the discount rate available with the NACo card. If that occurs, consumers will receive the lower price. Either way, consumers will always receive the best price available.
Does the county have to track who has the cards or monitor card use?
No. Counties need only to make the cards available to residents.
For More Information About Sonoma County Rx:
Visit www.caremark.com/naco to look up participating pharmacies, obtain a price estimate for your prescription, check drug interactions, or read news articles from leading health journals. Or call toll-free at 1-877-321-2652 or visit our local website for listing of distribution sites in the community at:
www.sonoma-county.org/DrugDiscountCard
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