North Country Residents Save $5.7M with Prescription Cards
By Rebecca Madden, Watertown Daily Times Staff Writer
North country residents who have a county prescription drug discount card, administered by ProAct Inc., have saved $5.7 million since the cards were introduced in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.
Jefferson County residents have saved $2.2 million since February 2006, while Lewis County residents saved $625,000 since the county began it's program in June 2006. Since October 2005, St. Lawrence County residents have saved $2.9 million, according to David B. Warner, president of ProAct. The figures include savings on both generic and name-brand drugs.
"Every prescription drug can receive a discount," Mr. Warner said. "The card cannot be combined with insurance; it's for prescriptions not covered by prescription plans or people who are uninsured."
ProAct, a division of Kinney Drugs, and its partner, MedImpact HealthCare Systems, San Diego, Calif., negotiated discounted prices for cardholders at all north country pharmacies. The amount of savings depends on each drug purchased. Mr. Warner, a pharmacist, said cards are available to any Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence county resident, and may be obtained through the county Board of Legislators, county offices, or any pharmacy within the area. "All the residents have to do is ask for the county discount card," he said.
Average savings for residents were 41 percent for those who have the card in St. Lawrence County, 40 percent for Jefferson County cardholders, and 34 percent for those in Lewis County.