County Supervisors Approve New Free Discount Drug Program

A discount prescription drug program available free to county residents was approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The Coast2Coast Rx Discount Prescription Card Program offers price cuts on about 60,000 prescription drugs, some up to 65 percent off. Discounts are also available for dental, vision and hearing services at pharmacies. Lab and imaging tests not covered by insurance could also be discounted.

"This program will help San Diegans who are struggling to meet the rising costs of prescription drugs and who are falling through the cracks in the health care system," Supervisor Greg Cox said.

Both insured and uninsured residents will qualify for the card and receive benefits, which is not meant as an insurance replacement.

"For those people who do not have insurance,this program will greatly reduce the cost to obtain prescriptions," Supervisor Ron Roberts said.   

The cards are free for taxpayers and will be available in June at participating pharmacies and county buildings, like libraries or the County Administration building, or they can be ordered by calling 211.

Information on which medications are covered is available by calling 800-931-
8872, or by visiting the web site coast2coastrx.com, where you will be able to print the card out yourself.

The county will receive $1.35 each time the card is used to fill a prescription, and proceeds will go to the county health department.

Financial Marketing Concepts, the marketing arm of WellDyneRx, distributes the cards. According to Ron Howard, the spokesman for the company, "the card saved its users an average of 49.5 percent on medication last year," as reported on Dothan Eagle.com.

Over 50 counties and a dozen cities use the program, and anecdotal news reports from those areas show overwhelming support for the discount card.

City News Service contributed to this report.