Card brings prescriptions within reach in Garfield County

Discount cards, available at local town halls, are good for 20 percent off

By Phillip Yates
Post Independent Staff
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
March 27, 2008

Print Email

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — Most people love getting a discount.

And many people in Garfield County are probably getting a good discount right now because of a recently available prescription drug card that offers county residents discounts of about 20 percent off the retail price of many prescribed drugs.

“Overall the reaction has been pretty positive, extremely positive, actually,” said Carrie Godes, who is a special projects coordinator for the Garfield County Public Health Department and has helped distribute the cards in the community. “We have only gotten positive feedback.”

The cards became available on March 17 and may be used by all county residents, regardless of their age, income or existing health coverage, according to the county. They will be accepted by 100 percent of the county’s pharmacies, along with a national network of more than 59,000 retail pharmacies.

“The cards work best for people who do not have insurance,” Godes said. “For them, it is kind of a win-win situation. There are no catches. You are able to take it to the pharmacy and receive the discount on your prescription card.”

Godes said several local pharmacists have told her they’ve already seen people presenting the cards to them.

“We haven’t been doing this very long,” Godes said. “That is positive that they have seen that traffic in that time.”

The cards are available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo), according to the county.

There is no cost to county taxpayers for the card to be placed in the hands of county residents. All residents have to do is present the cards at a participating pharmacy. There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restriction or limit on frequency of use.

“If you follow what (prescription drug) bills cost, I can assure you it is real eye popper, so if you are getting a 20 percent discount, that’s good,” said Dale Hancock, the county’s director of general services.

Residents can pick up the discount cards at any local city hall building from Carbondale to Parachute. The cards are also available at county health and human services locations in Glenwood Springs and Rifle.

Contact Phillip Yates: 384-9117
pyates@postindependent.com


Post Independent, Glenwood Springs, Colorado CO