Baltimore Offers All Residents Rx Discount Card
Residents Can Save Money On Prescriptions, City Officials Say
UPDATED: 9:29 am CDT April 21, 2005
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore has started offering its residents prescription drug cards in an effort to offset high costs.The program will be offered to all of the city's residents, employees and retirees, reported WBAL-TV in Baltimore."While we may be the first big city to do this, we probably won't be the last big city to do this," Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley said.Officials said the city-sponsored program, called ScriptSave, will save residents money.
The city will issue the cards regardless of age, income, insurance coverage or medical condition, officials explained. They estimate that cardholders will save about 21 percent on about 33,000 medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration.According to the mayor's office, the average Maryland resident uses nine prescription drugs and pays about $62 for each one -- that's 14 percent higher than the national average. ScriptSave claims their cardholders save about $11 per prescription.Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Peter Beilenson explained what is, perhaps, the greatest benefit: "This is free of cost to the city of Baltimore. There's no cost to the city, and it uses no taxpayer dollars."That's because Baltimore presents significant purchasing power: ScriptSave makes money by collecting fees from participating pharmacies, the television station reported.Alma Roberts, the CEO of the Center for Poverty Solutions, applauds the move, but remains cautiously optimistic."This measure is a wonderful step to help reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals to individuals; however, the overall solution is to get them insured," Roberts said.The mayor's office said the program, which is not health insurance coverage, has no enrollment or annual membership fees. In addition to the prescription drugs, officials said ScriptSave can provide discounts on services such as vision, hearing and diabetic supplies.At least 50,000 pharmacies accept the discount card nationwide, including Rite Aid, Epic, CVS Pharmacy, Giant, Walgreens, Safeway and Kmart.Anne Arundel County health officials said they have partnered with ScriptSave for about four years and are very happy with the program. They said their program serves only its low-income residents and they do not any intentions to expand the plan.
Resource: ScriptSave Web siteThe city will issue the cards regardless of age, income, insurance coverage or medical condition, officials explained. They estimate that cardholders will save about 21 percent on about 33,000 medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration.According to the mayor's office, the average Maryland resident uses nine prescription drugs and pays about $62 for each one -- that's 14 percent higher than the national average. ScriptSave claims their cardholders save about $11 per prescription.Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Peter Beilenson explained what is, perhaps, the greatest benefit: "This is free of cost to the city of Baltimore. There's no cost to the city, and it uses no taxpayer dollars."That's because Baltimore presents significant purchasing power: ScriptSave makes money by collecting fees from participating pharmacies, the television station reported.Alma Roberts, the CEO of the Center for Poverty Solutions, applauds the move, but remains cautiously optimistic."This measure is a wonderful step to help reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals to individuals; however, the overall solution is to get them insured," Roberts said.The mayor's office said the program, which is not health insurance coverage, has no enrollment or annual membership fees. In addition to the prescription drugs, officials said ScriptSave can provide discounts on services such as vision, hearing and diabetic supplies.At least 50,000 pharmacies accept the discount card nationwide, including Rite Aid, Epic, CVS Pharmacy, Giant, Walgreens, Safeway and Kmart.Anne Arundel County health officials said they have partnered with ScriptSave for about four years and are very happy with the program. They said their program serves only its low-income residents and they do not any intentions to expand the plan.
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