Discount Drug Cards Mean Savings for Seniors

By Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (OH-15)

Richard France lives in Columbus, Ohio. About a year ago, his physician prescribed him Coumadin for hypertension.  Mr. France spends approximately $150 every three months on this prescription drug.   

On May 3, 2004, Mr. France plans to sign up for Medicare’s new prescription drug discount card.  The drug discount card will help millions of Medicare beneficiaries like Mr. France save money on their medicines and will provide critical assistance to seniors. 

Seniors can sign up for the cards starting in May and begin using the discount cards on June 1, 2004.  Annual fees for the cards will range from $0 to $30, and the government will pay the enrollment fees for those seniors who qualify for low-income assistance.  In addition, these financially-strapped seniors will receive up to $600, both this year and next, to assist with the cost of their medicines.  According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), cardholders can expect to receive discounts between 10-25 percent on their prescription costs.

Already, more than 70 organizations have received Medicare approval to offer discount cards which will all carry this seal:

This logo deems the card as Medicare-endorsed and ensures specific government-backed consumer protections.

With many choices available, seniors can compare different cards to find one that best meets their individual health care needs.  There are two easy ways to determine which card is the best card.  The official Medicare website, www.medicare.gov, provides customized information, based on the particular needs of each senior, about the differences in drug coverage, pharmacy participation and prices among the available cards.  If a senior is comfortable using the Internet, this website is an excellent resource to do it yourself.  A senior’s family members or volunteers at churches, senior centers and civic organizations with Internet knowledge can also help walk someone through the process.  On April 29, 2004, the website will contain information on the cards, and will be updated as new information becomes available.

However, if a senior does not have access to the Internet or is uncomfortable using it, similar assistance is available by phone, toll free, at 1-800-MEDICARE.  Seniors can also ask the Medicare operator to send them a personalized booklet of this information to assist in their drug card decision. 

Before a senior logs on to www.medicare.gov or calls 1-800-MEDICARE to begin this process, he or she should have the following information ready:

• What prescription medications are you currently taking?
  1. Name of each drug
  2. The dose (pill size)
  3. How often you take the drug (for example, two times a day)

All of this information can be found on your prescription bottles or the print-out your pharmacy provides when you pick up your prescriptions.

• If you’re a senior with annual income below $12,569 as an individual or $16,862 as a couple, you might be eligible for financial assistance.   If you think you qualify for assistance, income statements or tax forms can be helpful when figuring out your monthly income. 

Once a senior decides which card is best, he or she can contact the company to sign up for that particular card.  When the enrollment form has been approved, the company will send her a Medicare-approved drug discount card.  The company will also send specific materials she might need like a member handbook, discount drug list, pharmacy provider directory, and other information.

The availability of these cards will provide tangible benefits to millions of seniors.  Sponsoring organizations are using the cards not only to provide discounts on drugs but also to link card enrollees into other available disease management and wellness resources to help them better manage their own health care.

This discount card program is the first concrete step toward making the promise of a Medicare prescription drug benefit a reality for our seniors.  Richard France and countless other seniors will pay lower drug costs by June.   

Any senior interested in saving money on their prescription drugs should call 1-800-MEDICARE to obtain the necessary information.