The news is constant.
Prices are going up on everything from a gallon of milk to a new Pontiac — OK, not on the Pontiac. They quit making them.
But just about everything else is costing more every day.
And county officials are working to do something about it.
This past week, County Administrator Richard Boeckman announced that Oct. 3 was the official “start date” for a countwide program that allows local residents to save on many prescriptions.
“We are live with that program,” Boeckman announced, adding that membership cards and information are available in the courthouse lobby, at the Barton County Health Department, Lakin and Kansas, and at several county pharmacies.
Boeckman added he will report back to the commission later on estimated of how much county citizens can save, after local information is compiled. Boeckman reported earlier that percentages of savings appear to vary from one county to another, and they won’t be known here until the program has been in use for a time.
According to earlier information from the county: “One membership benefit of the National Association of Counties is the Prescription Discount Program. NACo is in a partnership with CVS Caremark to provide a prescription discount card for member counties to offer to residents who are uninsured or under insured. “The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program provides savings by passing along the Caremark negotiated discount rates to individuals with little or no prescription benefit coverage.”
More than 40 Kansas counties participate in the program, which works with a variety of participating pharmacies, Boeckman noted when the program was first considered. He added then that there are five participating pharmacies in Barton County. All of them are in Great Bend.
The program provides a varying amount of savings. There is a $643 annual fee to the county, though the first year of participation is at no cost. Boeckman noted there is no cost for the public to participate.
According to information on the NACo Internet site:
“The National Association of Counties is in partnership with CVS Caremark to provide a prescription discount card for NACo member counties to offer to their residents who are uninsured or under insured. The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program provides savings by passing along the Caremark negotiated discount rates to individuals with little or no prescription benefit coverage.
“The prescription discount card program can save residents an average of 24 percent off of the full retail cost of prescription medications that are not covered under a traditional insurance plan, as well as some diabetic supplies. There is no cost to NACo member counties or their residents to participate in the program. The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program offers real value, easy access, a large national pharmacy network of more than 60,000 pharmacies, and excellent customer support.
“Counties benefit from the program by being able to offer their county residents a no-cost alternative to paying full price for prescriptions. Counties may also feature their county logo or seal on the front of the card.
“Residents benefit from the program by saving an average of 24 percent off of their prescriptions. There is no cost for a resident as well as no forms to fill out, no age or income requirements and no medical condition restrictions.
“The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program is NOT insurance.”