Michigan Retailers Free Rx Card Can Help Seniors

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 25 Jun 2009 - 7:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

A free card from the Michigan Retailers Association can lift some of the weight of concern and worry for seniors buying expensive prescription drugs.

Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) today is distributing information about its Michigan Retailers Free Rx Card discount prescription drug program to the more than 500 concerned seniors and advocates participating in Older Michiganians Day at the state Capitol.

Michigan Retailers offers the discount program free of charge to members and nonmembers. It provides an easy way for individuals without health insurance or without prescription drug coverage to save 20-75 percent when buying prescription medications.

The card can be used by anyone, not just seniors. But the card also helps seniors who are enrolled in the government's Medicare Part D prescription program.

When these individuals find themselves struggling in the "donut hole" -- the gap between the prescription drug expenses Medicare D covers -- the Rx card may be used to obtain a discount. Medicare D covers seniors' first $2,700 in drug expenses but not the next $1,650, as coverage doesn't resume until an individual has spent $4,350.

"The Rx card can be an important benefit for people in the donut hole because they are without any prescription coverage," explained James P. Hallan, MRA president and CEO.

"Prescription drugs can be pricey, whether you have insurance or not," Hallan added. "Anyone without prescription coverage can benefit from the card, as well as people whose insurance fails to cover a specific prescription."

More than 50,000 pharmacies across the nation accept the Rx card, making the discounts easily accessible for individuals.

To learn more about the Rx card, including local participating pharmacies and how to download the card for free, visit MRA's website at http://www.retailers.com

Source
Michigan Retailers Association