Oklahoma Drug Card Media Center

(Tulsa, OK) – RxResource.org has announced that the Oklahoma Drug Card has been voted “The Best Prescription Assistance Program in Oklahoma for 2013”. Programs were rated by industry professionals across the following categories: Program Access, Program Benefits, Customer Support, Prescription Formulary List, Drug Discounts, and Network Coverage. Oklahoma Drug Card was launched January 7, 2008 and has saved Oklahomans more than $15 million on their prescription drugs.

Discount prescription drug cards are now available to Oklahoma residents online. Residents can download the free cards by visiting www.oklahomadrugcard.com. K-Mart pharmacies have agreed to print out the cards for those without Internet access.

There are no restrictions for membership or how many cards. Any Oklahoma resident, regardless of age and income level, are able to obtain the cards and no application is required. Residents can save up to 75 percent at more than 50,000 national and regional pharmacies, said a press release from the program's director Joe Willard. However, the press release also stated the average savings is around 30 percent.

People who have prescription coverage already can use this free card for non-formulary or non-covered drugs as well. The card can also be used to cover those who do not qualify for publicly funded programs like Medicaid and Medicare.

"This program can help every resident of Oklahoma--help many people so desperately need. We are looking for support from hospitals, doctors' offices and clinics to create public awareness for the program and to help distribute cards to their patients," said Willard in a press release. "We are also encouraging employers to offer the Oklahoma Drug Card program to their employees.

This program is powered by UNA Rx Card, which is a division of United Networks of America.

More than 85,000 Oklahomans have downloaded the free Oklahoma Drug Card since it was introduced Jan. 8—an unprecedented number compared to 22 other states that have introduced the program, the director of Oklahoma's drug card program said Friday.

"I think that just tells us the need is great in Oklahoma," Joe Willard said.

Oklahoma's response to the new card tops California's version of the program, which has only 55,000 card-holders since its launch in October.

"The greater participation in this program, the greater the benefit to the residents of Oklahoma," Willard said.

The number of participating pharmacies also has tripled to 700 in the state since the card program was launched.

"It's tough when you get a prescription and it's $122 or $79," Willard said. "I'm just so excited because I know the card is making a difference in people's lives."

The Oklahoma Drug Card is not affiliated with the state government.

It was initiated by United Networks of America, based in Baton Rouge, La. UNA is a provider of numerous managed health care products.

Any Oklahoma resident may sign up for the card online and print it off for instant prescription savings at participating pharmacies across the state.

The highest discounts are on pain medications, heart medications and antidepressants, Willard said.

The card is free. There is no age limit, no forms to complete and no income restrictions, Willard said.

The only piece of personal information residents need to provide is their name.

Although the form asks for an e-mail address, residents may type "none" and still get the card, he said.

Kmart pharmacies have agreed to print out cards for Oklahoma customers without Internet access.

People also may ask a participating pharmacy or a friend or family member to print the card out for them.

Users also may laminate the card, Willard said.

The card is expected to save its users up to 75 percent of costs on some medications and 35 percent in costs on average, he said.

Most prescription medications are covered by the program.

The program's Web site will help users find participating pharmacies and show the discount amount for specific drugs, Willard said.

To get the card or to find out more information about medications covered and what the discounts will be, go online to www.tulsaworld.com/drugcard.

(Tulsa) – A new Oklahoma Drug Card program will officially be launched today, with officials touting it as a way to save money while purchasing prescriptions.

Under the program, any Oklahoma resident can sign up for a card online, then print it out and use it. The card will allow users instant savings on prescriptions at 237 pharmacies in Oklahoma and 50,000 across the nation.

Chene Tucker of Broken Arrow said using the card saved her $20 on two medications.

"I was pleased and surprised," Tucker said. "It was exactly what they said it would be. I will be using it again."

The drug cards are free and there are no age or income restrictions for its use, said Joe Willard, the program's state director. He said those who use the card will save an average of 35 percent on their prescription costs, and as much as 75 percent when buying some medications.

The program's Web site lists which drugs are covered, the participating pharmacies and the level of discounts. Willard said that even those who have insurance prescription coverage could find it cheaper to buy a prescribed drug using the card than with insurance.

Oklahoma is the 23rd state to offer such a program. It is sponsored by United Networks of America, a Baton Rouge, La., company that provides managed health care products.

He said pharmaceutical companies help fund the program in an effort to sell their products, noting that sometimes people opt not to fill a prescription because of cost.

"About two-thirds of people who see a doctor get a prescription," Willard said. "If it's not filled, no one makes any money."

Oklahoma has one of the nation's highest rates of people without insurance coverage, which makes the program especially important in the state, Willard said.

"This program can help every resident of Oklahoma—and help many people so desperately in need," he said.

If you or someone you know is struggling with medication costs, I want to remind you about some different programs that can help with prescription drug costs.

The first is the Oklahoma Drug Card, which is a prescription discount card free to all Oklahomans regardless of income, age or any other criteria. It can be downloaded at www.oklahomadrugcard.com.

If you don't have access to a printer, Kmart has agreed to print them for free or you can always print them at your local library.

The card provides an average savings of 30 percent at more than 50,000 national and regional pharmacies. Most medications are covered under the program, and savings can be as high as 75 percent in some cases.

The good thing about this program is that unlike others, there are no fees and your account cannot be canceled without your consent.

Other companies, such as Wal-Mart, also offer prescription programs that don't require a card. They have hundreds of prescription drugs and more than 1,000 over-the-counter medications priced at only $4 per 30-day supply. For a list of the available medicines, visit www.walmart.com/pharmacy.

For those that are uninsured or underinsured and struggling, you can also find free help through the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. This organization has trained specialists who can find out if you qualify for one or more of 475 patient assistance programs, many of which offer free or nearly free prescription medicines. To find out which programs you may qualify, visit www.pparx.org or call (888) 4PPA-NOW.

Another free program is the Patient Assistance Now program. This is an easy-to-use, comprehensive resource that may help uninsured patients pay for their Novartis medicines and find information to take care of their health. Patient Assistance Now also offers educational programs and resources on a wide range of conditions, diseases and Novartis medicines, as well as information about Novartis clinical trials.

To learn more about this program, visit www.PatientAssistanceNow.com or call (800) 245-5356 for specific information about programs and services available. The Web site also offers a program finder for programs that help eligible patients pay for their medicines.

With the media buzz of the summer escalating over health care reform, it's never too early to think about what you could do to mitigate health care costs where they hit the hardest: prescription medication.

The Oklahoma Drug Card is a prescription discount card free to all Oklahomans, regardless of income, age or any other criteria. This card can be downloaded at the www.oklahomadrugcard.com. If you don't have access to a printer, Kmart has agreed to print them for free, or you can always print them at the nearest public library.

Mary Collins, Tahlequah, downloaded the card at the library, and uses it for all her and her husband's prescriptions.

"We have some insurance, but not prescription assistance," she said. "We take blood pressure and heart medication, and it gets expensive."

As part of the United Networks of American out of Louisiana, the card provides an average savings of 30 percent at more than 50,000 national and regional pharmacies. Most medications are covered under the program, and savings can be as high as 75 percent in some cases.

There are 237 participating pharmacies in the state, including Walgreens, Kmart, Drug Warehouse and CVS Pharmacy.

Local pharmacies that accept the card include Cherokee Hills Pharmacy, Drug Warehouse, Reasor's Pharmacy, Tahlequah Drug Co., TMC Pharmacy, Walmart Pharmacy and Walgreens.

Cheryl Bird, at Cox Pharmacy in Tahlequah, said they have their own prescription assistance program and therefore don't accept the Oklahoma Drug Card.

"It's called the Cox Wellness Club, and it's free to sign up," Bird said. "All through the month of September, you get a bag when you enroll, and whatever you can put in the bag you can get 20 percent off of the total price."

However, the program doesn't offer immediate savings; it's based on point redemption. For every $1 spent you earn 100 points, and then only 1,000 points can be redeemed per transaction.

Nathan Terrell, pharmacy technician with Drug Warehouse, said when the program first started, many people were using it.

"I guess it was just out there in the media and people came in to sign up," Terrell said. "But since the buzz died down, I haven't had a lot of people new signing up."

Terrell said the program is great, especially for the uninsured.

"It can save you a lot of money," he said.

All of the participating pharmacies and the discounts for particular medications can be found on the program's website. Even if you have insurance, prescriptions may be cheaper under this program, so be sure to check online.

Unlike others, such as the Walgreen drug card program, there are no fees with this program, and your account cannot be canceled without your consent.

And this is not a gimmick; drug stores want people to come in and buy soap, shampoo, milk, tissues, so they are willing to sell the drugs cheaper to get the foot traffic.