There are a number of “Free Prescription Cards” being offered in the marketplace today and most people when presented with the opportunity to acquire a card become very skeptical about something being offered that is “free”. “What’s the catch?”… Is the typical question.

A free prescription card is really free and doesn’t cost anything to obtain most cards. No membership fee or any type of fee. The card offers the holder of the card the opportunity to achieve significant savings on most prescriptions when presented to the pharmacy. Typical savings will range from 10 to 60% on various prescriptions at most pharmacies…do not pay for a Prescription Card.

The reason the pharmacy reduces the price on the prescriptions is quite simple; the drug companies distribute their products through prescription processors who are very similar to wholesalers in other industries. The processors receive fees from the drug companies for processing the millions of prescriptions filled in all of the pharmacies throughout the United States… such processors as Health Trans, CVS, and Script to name a few.

The processors sign contracts with organizations who offer discount health products to distribute their discount cards to all of their clients who then take their cards to the pharmacy of their choice to have their prescriptions filled. The processor is in affect driving business to the various pharmacies which is increasing the pharmacies sales and the processor receives a fee for increasing the pharmacy’s sales.
The processor then pays a fee to the company that distributes the Free Prescription Card to their clients. This is truly a win-win arrangement. The drug manufacturer makes the product and ships it to the pharmacy. The customer fills the prescription in the pharmacy of choice and the pharmacy transmits all the sales data and monies to the processor who in turn pays the drug manufacturer for the products.
The client receives a significant discount on the prescription because the processor/pharmacy is sharing part of its fees with the client by reducing the price from 10 to 60%.

In choosing a Free Prescription Card to use, be sure that it is accepted by most of the major pharmacies, distributed by a reputable organization, and provides all of the necessary legal disclosures, information about the pharmacies participating in the program, and how to look up prescription pricing in the clients geographic location. Also, be sure the discount card offers the ability to use a mail order function to order prescriptions. Prescription cards are not insurance plans; they offer immediate discounts at the point of sale.

Please comment on your experience in using Free Prescription Cards. Share your experience with everyone! You may email Richard Fuchs at benefits@strathealthcare.com
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