County to participate in discount card program, By LISA KACZKE, Staff Writer

County hopes to begin program Feb. 1

Koochiching County residents could save money on their prescription drugs, thanks to a action by the county board Tuesday.

The county has joined 900 other counties in a nation-wide prescription drug card program organized by the National Association of Counties.

The county is expected to begin a mail campaign Feb. 1 to notify residents of the program and distribute the free discount cards. The cards can be used at participating area pharmacies, which are K-Mart, City Drug, International Thrifty White Drug Store and the Littlefork Medical Center.

All county residents can participate in the program, regardless of age, income or existing health coverage. They do not need to fill out enrollment forms or pay any fees to join, according to NACo. The discount card is not health insurance.

Residents may also use the discount card to purchase prescriptions for pets at the participating pharmacies.

Residents save an average of 20 percent with the discount card. When a card is presented at a pharmacy, the participation receives the discount or the pharmacy’s retail price, whichever is lower.

The county receives an annual report showing how much residents save using the cards.

The discount program was brought to the attention of county commissioners by Commissioner Wade Pavleck, who heard of it at a NACo conference.

When discussing the program with commissioners from other counties, Pavleck said he was told the program would benefit his constituents.

Twenty of Minnesota’s 87 counties participate in the program.

The program is administered by Caremark Rx, a pharmaceutical services company. Caremark negotiates with pharmacies to offer a discount on the retail price, according to NACo. Caremark receives revenue in the form of a small fee the pharmacy pays on each transaction. But pharmacies participate because it brings customers to the store, according to NACo.