Free Prescription Discount Cards
By: Cait McVey WXXA-TV (FOX)
February 9, 2010
Bernard Heroux waits outside Marra's Pharmacy for his wife to pick up th
eir prescriptions. Without coverage, he says they're paying a small fortune.
"She's in there right now and I bet you her bill will be about 200 dollars before she comes out of there," Heroux says.
It's a story Albany County Legislator Shawn Morse says he's heard all to often. Which is why he says the county took action, unveiling a prescription discount card. Mailed out today, the card can be used in pharmacies all over the county to save 10 to 20 percent on brand name drugs and 20 to 70 percent on generic drugs.
For example, if you were going to buy a months supply of generic Ambien, it would cost $20.00. But with the discount card, that total will be $9.67.
"It ends up being a lot of money over the course of time. So it's a good situation for the patients," says Cohoes Mayor John McDonald, who owns Marra's Pharmacy.
McDonald says people unisured between the ages 21 and 55 stand to benefit the most. Those older may already qualify for help from the state.
"There's a lot of people out there who just don't know what they're eligible for," McDonald says. "And if we can use this as an opportunity to direct them into a plan that will be applicable to them, then all the better."
For a list of participating pharmacies, visit http://www.proactrx.com/