Hawai`i County Unveils Prescription Drug Discount Card
The following information is courtesy of the Hawai`i County Council, which helped arrange for this program through the National Association of Counties (NACo).
The Hawai`i County Council has announced the introduction of a discount card program to help Hawai`i County residents cope with the high cost of prescription drugs. The program began September 1, 2008.
The County is making free prescription drug discount cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo) that offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.
Who is eligible to use the discount card?
It’s one card per person.
The cards may be used by all Hawai`i County residents, regardless of age, income, or existing health coverage, and are accepted by nearly all the island’s pharmacies.
In addition, a national network of more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies, including many Neighbor Island pharmacies, will honor the NACo prescription discount card.
Best of all, there is no cost to our taxpayers for NACo and the County to make these money-saving cards available to residents.
Who may benefit from using this card?
The prescription drug discount card can be used anytime a prescription is not covered by insurance.
Those who may benefit include the uninsured, underinsured, and Medicare Plan D participants for non-covered drugs.
The discount card can be used to pay for meds not covered by your insurance plan (i.e. prescription meds you would have to pay out of pocket.)
Can I use my insurance and the discount card on the same purchase?
You cannot use your insurance and the discount card on the same purchase. However, you can choose whichever gives you the better price.
Call CVS-Caremark at 1-877-321-2652 to get an estimated price using the discount card on a particular prescription. Then you can compare prices before going to the pharmacy.
The prescription card is activated the first time it’s used at the pharmacy. The person’s name and ID number are joined for the first time, for ease in processing thereafter.
Pet prescriptions may also be covered
Residents may also save on prescriptions for their pets. If a pet is prescribed a medicine that is also used to treat human conditions (such as antibiotics), the pet owner may save by using the prescription discount card. Simply ask the veterinarian to write a prescription and present it at a participating pharmacy, along with the prescription discount card.
The pet owner will pay either a discount price or the retail pharmacy’s regular retail price, whichever is lower.
How do I get a discount card?
Cards will be available at the County Clerk’s’ Office, the Mayor’s Office in Hilo and Kona and at all County Council Offices.
Cards are also available at the RSVP desk in the lobby of the County building at 101 Pauahi Street, in Hilo, the Office of Aging at Hilo Lagoon building and Coordinated Services for the Elderly in Hilo and Kona.
What pharmacies are participating in the program so far?
The following Big Island pharmacies are currently participating in this program:
* Costco Pharmacy
* Foodland Medicine Cabinet
* Hilo Pharmacy
* K Mart Pharmacy
* Kamehameha Pharmacy
* KTA Pharmacy
* Longs Drug
* Malama Compounding Pharmacy
* Mina Pharmacy
* Oshima Drug
* Pahoa RX Pharmacy
* Pharmerica 4237
* Puna Pharmacy
* Safeway
* Shiigi Drug Company
* Ululani Pharmacy
* Village Pharmacy-Waimea, LLC
* Waikoloa Pharmacy
* Wal Mart Pharmacy
* Windward Pharmacy
**The above is a preliminary list; pharmacies not listed here may subsequently opt to participate.
The discount card program is administered by Caremark Rx, Inc. Big Island residents can get more information about the program by:
* Calling Caremark toll free at 1-877-321-2652
* Going online at www.caremark.com/naco .
NACo is a national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,600 counties.
NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public’s understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers’ money.
