County prescription drug discount program widely used

Residents use discount cards to save money on prescription drugs

During the first 17 weeks of the Koochiching County free prescription drug discount program, Koochiching County residents filled 472 prescriptions resulting in an average discount of 29.33 percent per prescription, according to County Coordinator Teresa Jaksa.
Koochiching County launched the program to help consumers cope with the high price of prescription drugs. The county is making the free prescription drug discount cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties, which offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.
There is no cost to county taxpayers to make the cards available to the residents.
The cards may be used by all county residents, regardless of age, income, or existing health coverage, and are accepted at four of the county’s pharmacies. A national network of more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies also honors the Koochiching County free prescription discount drug card.
Cards are available at the Koochiching County courthouse, 715 4th St., or call 218-283-1107; at Koochiching Community Services, 1000 5th St., and at Kootasca, 2232 2nd Ave. E. County residents can call toll free 1-877-321-2652 or visit www.caremark.com/naco for assistance with the program.
“Using the NACo prescription discount card is easy,” said Teresa Jaksa, Coordinator. “Simply present it at a participating pharmacy. There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use. Cardholders and their family members may use the card any time their prescriptions are not covered by insurance.”
The program is administered by Caremark Rx Inc.