County offers drug discount

By Diana M. Alba

LAS CRUCES, Mar. 18, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
Dona Ana County officials say they've had heavy response to a new discount prescription drug program they launched last week.

Since Tuesday, the county has distributed roughly 8,500 cards to residents, said Silvia Sierra, director for the county's health and human services department.

"Our goal is to distribute at least 30,000," she said.

The cards are expected to save residents an average of 23 percent off the cost of prescription drugs, according to the county. They're available to any person, regardless of income level, but they cannot be used in combination with an insurance plan to cover a drug's cost.

Amy Trujillo, a county employee who's in charge of the new program, said the cards are being placed in a variety of locations, including pharmacies, community centers, social service organizations and clinics throughout the county.

She said residents don't have to enroll or register in order to get a card, which is free.

"All you do is just pick a card; you take one," she said. "We're working hard at getting the word out." Sierra said the cards are accepted at 16 pharmacies in the county. In addition, she said, participating pharmacies can be found throughout the country.

The discount isn't guaranteed to be 23 percent per prescription. Sierra said the amount will vary. Even so, she said, the program will be a boon to the uninsured in Dona Ana County.

"It saves real money, for real people in our communities," she said.

Roughly one-third of the county's population is uninsured or underinsured.

Robert Adams, owner of El Paseo Pharmacy and Family Pharmacy in Las Cruces, said he's doubtful the program will aid uninsured residents with the most expensive drugs -- those that are available as a name-brand prescription only. He said that's because retailers have little profit margin on those drugs as it is, meaning any discount they offer will have to be small.

"That's the reality of it," he said. "An expensive drug without insurance is still going to be expensive. It's not going to be 20 percent on a name brand. That's impossible."

Adams said a handful people already have taken in cards to his pharmacy, but they mostly were asking questions about them. He said several people have mistaken the program for insurance coverage, which it's not.

Sierra said the county was able to join the prescription card program through the National Association of Counties, a league of county officials across the country. She said roughly 940 counties have joined since the effort began about seven years ago. Ten other counties in New Mexico, including Bernalillo and San Juan, participate, she said.

The program is administered by Caremark Rx, a pharmacy supplier. Sierra said pharmacies that agree to participate are able to buy medications at a discounted rate from Caremark.

Sierra said the cards also can be used by residents with private or Medicare insurance who have reached a spending cap or who must buy a drug that's not covered under their plan.

Sierra said residents who have mail-order prescriptions also can check to see if their provider accepts the card. Also, she said Caremark can fill some prescriptions at a discounted rate by mail.


CARDS ACCEPTED AT:

A sampling of Las Cruces pharmacies where the prescription card is accepted:

--Las Cruces Rexall Drug, 2140 N. Main St.

--Walgreens: 1300 El Paseo Road, 2300 E. Lohman Ave., 3100 N. Main St.

--Family Pharmacy, 1205 S. Solano Drive

--El Paseo Pharmacy, 1605 El Paseo Road

--Sav-on pharmacies (in Albertsons stores): 1285 El Paseo Road, 2551 E. Lohman Ave., 2501 N. Main St.

--Rede Pharmacy, 2655 Missouri Ave.

--Wal-Mart: 1550 S. Valley Drive, 571 Walton Blvd.

--Sam's Club: 2711 N. Telshor Blvd.

--Kmart: 1900 Bataan Memorial East, 1240 El Paseo Road


WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

--The prescription cards are available to any person, regardless of income level, but they cannot be used in combination with an insurance plan to cover a drug's cost.

--The cards are free -- no registration is needed. They are available at pharmacies, community centers, social service organizations and clinics throughout the county.

--The discount prescription drug program is not an insurance plan.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0108-23864133