Missouri Drug Card Media Center

(Carthage, MO) – A new statewide discount drug card program promises to save consumers an average or 30 percent on prescription drug costs while helping pharmacutical companies by keeping people from going to Canada for their prescriptions.

"The pharmacies and pharmacutical companies realized they had to do something proactive to prevent market share from going to Canada," said Robert Meyer, development director for the Missouri Drug Program. "This type of programs enables people to keep their prescriptions at home."

According to Meyer, the Missouri Drug Card is a free drug card available to everyone in Missouri without exception. He said it is funded completely by the pharmacutical companies, no public or tax money is being used in the program.

It's available to people who sign up at the Web site, www.missouridrugcard.com, and Meyer said the information people provide on the Web site is protected by the same federal legislation that protects the privacy of anyone seeking medical care.

"The information is protected by HIPPA laws," he said. "There is no way it can be shared or sold or disseminated in any way."

Meyer said the program, which is free to all Missourians, will provide savings of up to 75 percent on prescription drugs with average savings of about 30 percent. There are no restrictions to membership, no income restrictions, no age limit and no applications to fill out.

Missouri Drug Card is accepted at over 50,000 national and regional pharmacies around the country. Participating pharmacies include Schnucks Pharmacy, Kmart Pharmacy, Super D Drug Stores, Drug Warehouse, Med-X Drugstores, May's Drug Stores, CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, as well as thousands of independent pharmacies.

The Missouri Drug Card Program was launched to help the uninsured and underinsured citizens of Missouri afford their prescription medications. However, people who have health insurance coverage with no prescription benefits, which is common in many health savings accounts and high-deductible health plans, can also use the program.

Additionally, people who have prescription coverage can use this program for non-formulary or non-covered drugs.

Meyer said the Missouri Drug Card can also be used by individuals who do not qualify for publicly funded programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. It can also be used by people who receive their medicines through charity care providers such as 340B, a federally funded program that grants discounts to providers, and require a drug that is not available to them. This program even covers some pet medications that are available at participating pharmacies.

The Missouri Drug Card Program has no restrictions or participation requirements and is open to every resident of Missouri.

Meyer said the program is modeled on a program that is active in 25 other states. There currently is a Kansas Drug Card, an Oklahoma Drug Card, an Arkansas Drug Card and others in states surrounding Missouri.

Judge Ronnie L. White, former chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, has been selected to serve as program director for the Missouri Drug Card. White served on the Missouri Supreme Court from October 1995 through July 2007. He served as chief justice from July 2003 through June 2005.

"I am so proud to be a part of the Missouri Drug Card. The people of Missouri need a program like this to help offset rising prescription costs," White said. "This program will help a lot of people and I feel privileged to be a part of this State wide initiative."

People can search for drug pricing and participating pharmacies at www.missouridrugcard.com. The card is pre-activated and can be used at any participating pharmacy. Most major pharmacies, as well as thousands of independent pharmacies, accept the card.