Akron will offer card easing medicine cost

Free program reduces retail price of drugs

Akron residents now can get at least some of their prescription drugs for less money.

Akron City Council recently agreed to participate in the National League of Cities Prescription Discount Card Program.

Starting this week, residents can get a free card that offers discounts off retail prices at participating stores, At-Large Councilman John Conti said.

The cards will be available at library branches, the city's community centers and through council members by Thursday, Conti said.

''Given the general decline in the economy, we suspect some folks will lose their jobs,'' he said, and, subsequently, lose their health insurance.

The program is administered through Caremark Inc., a national pharmacy benefits manager.

''The program doesn't cost us any money,'' Conti said. ''Basically, Caremark will print up the cards, print up the marketing material with the city logo on it.''

Card users save an average of 20 percent off the retail cost of prescription drugs at more than 59,000 participating pharmacies, according to Caremark.

A list of drug costs and participating stores is available at http://www.caremark.com/nlc or by calling 888-620-1749.

There are no income restrictions for the program, which also can be used by people whose insurance doesn't cover a medication. However, the card can't be used with government insurance programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, according to Caremark.

Akron's discount card and other similar programs aren't insurance. They simply offer discounted rates, with no guarantees about the prices.

The city's program is the latest of several savings plans offered locally and nationwide to help consumers with costly medication bills.

All Summit County residents can buy discounted drugs at participating pharmacies by obtaining an ExecutiveMED Prescription Discount Card.

The plan, similar to the city's new program, also is administered by Caremark.

More information is available at http://www.co.summit.oh.us/executivemed.htm.

To get a free card, call the Summit County Executive's Office at 888-456-3932.

Ohio's Best Rx is another drug discount card program available to some uninsured Ohio residents.

The program is available to those 60 and older or for residents younger than 60 with family incomes of less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($32,490 for an individual, $43,710 for a family of two or $66,150 for a family of four). For information or to apply, call 866-923-7879 or visit http://www.ohiobestrx.org.

In addition, drug makers often offer medicine for free or at a discounted rate for people who are uninsured or meet financial guidelines.

Information about many of those programs is available through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance at http://www.rxforohio.org or 877-794-6446.