United Way Helps Families Cover Prescription Costs
Prescription drug discount card can help Sublette County residents lower cost of medicines by as much as 35%
by Kelly E. Frink, United Way of Southwest Wyoming
November 25, 2008
(Sublette County) If you don’t have health insurance or need medicine not covered by your insurance plan, you need the FamilyWize prescription drug discount card being distributed by United Way of Southwest Wyoming. This card could lower the cost of your medicine by an average 35 percent. United Way of Southwest Wyoming is providing these cards free-of-charge to everyone in our community. There are no age restrictions, no income restrictions, no limit on how many times you can use it and no waiting to get a card.
Since United Way of Southwest Wyoming began distributing the FamilyWize cards over 6 months ago southwest Wyoming residents have saved $52,075.94 on prescription medications, according to statistics provided by FamilyWize.
"Healthcare costs are one of the top concerns for people in our community," said Suzanne Zutter, Executive Director of the United Way of Southwest Wyoming, "40 percent of adults don’t buy the medicine they need, have difficulty affording it or reduce the required dosage because of the high cost. The FamilyWize prescription drug discount cards will help individuals and families who otherwise could not afford to buy the medicine they need. Too many people have insufficient coverage, no prescription coverage or need medications not covered by their insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or VA benefits."
People with Internet access can go to www.FamilyWize.org to print a card, look up drug prices, and get a list of participating pharmacies.
FamilyWize cards can be obtained and are accepted at Pinedale Drug in Pinedale and at Frontier Pharmacy in Big Piney. Most pharmacies here and throughout the United States accept the FamilyWize prescription drug discount cards.
United Way of Southwest Wyoming has joined more than 750 United Ways in all 50 states to save people $30 million in the next year on the cost of their medicine. So far, more than 10 million cards have been distributed.
"It’s truly amazing what we can accomplish when we all work together. So many people and organizations have joined together to make this possible, "said Kathy Tacke, Director of Community Impact of the United Way of Southwest Wyoming. "We invite all area organizations to contact us for a supply of cards, as well as every local business, to get cards for all their employees and their families."
"We hope everyone in the community will take the time to thank their pharmacist, United Way of Southwest Wyoming, and everyone else involved for the difference they are making in the lives of so many people in the community," said Dan Barnes, Co-Chair of the FamilyWize Community Service Partnership. The participating pharmacies in the community have agreed voluntarily to accept the FamilyWize cards and provide these savings to people in need. Brown Printing, Independent Graphics and Rob-Win Press of greater Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania donate the printing for the cards, Sappi Fine Paper provides some of the paper, FedEx Express donates the shipping of the cards and the pharmacy benefit manager provides a portion of the processing fee to cover the administrative costs. United Way of Southwest Wyoming is coordinating the distribution of the cards locally.
Additional information about this program is available at United Way of Southwest Wyoming and online at www.FamilyWize.org.
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