Texas Rx Card Media Center

With this card, I thee save. Or do you?

Various associations, companies and organizations advertise drug-discount cards that are supposed to save big bucks on common prescriptions. Although some of these cards can indeed save you money, consumers should be aware that some cards are scams, and others might not save as much as you think.

"Certainly there are some legitimate discount programs ... consumers just need to make sure the plan they sign up for is offering discounts and benefits that are relevant to their situation," said Guy Ward, staff attorney for the Federal Trade Commission. "Be aware of who you're talking to and what they're selling."

First of all, be aware that drug-discount cards aren't the same thing as health insurance, experts warn. Just because a card company offers discounts on prescriptions doesn't mean you'll get a discount on doctor's visits or other health-care services, Ward said.

Ask questions about what the drug-discount card covers and what the benefits are, suggested Tom Kelley, a spokesman for the Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott's office.

"Investigate plans very carefully. Call and ask for a list of providers, and call pharmacies to ask if they will honor these (cards)," Kelley said.

Be wary of drug-discount cards or plans that charge fees, experts said. And watch out for hidden costs. Some scammers have made money by "helping" people sign up for discount programs that are actually available for free, the attorney general's office reports. In 2005, the attorney general sued Senior Rx Support of Dallas, a mail-order prescription service, for offering to help with discount forms for a fee, and then asked participants to lie about their income.

Stay away from companies that charge a fee for information on free or low-cost drug programs - that information is free from your doctor, pharmacist or an organization called the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, the FTC says.

The Texas attorney general and FTC also have taken action against companies who have claimed their plans constitute health insurance, or companies that sell plans via telemarketing.

If you receive calls selling a drug-discount card, even though you're on the do-not-call list, that's a sign of fraud, warned Ward. Also, these companies shouldn't ask for your bank-account number or credit-card number over the phone, he said.

As for legitimate discount cards, many types are out there. Some drug-discount cards are available to anyone, while others have income or age restrictions. Discount cards offered through the Medicare Part D program, for example, can only be used by people eligible for Medicare. Several drug companies have programs offering low-cost prescriptions, but to qualify you must fall below certain income limits.

Recently, United Networks of America, a company that assembles managed-care networks, launched the Texas Rx Card program, which offers discounts on several common prescriptions. The card is free and any Texas resident can use it, with no restrictions, said Ben Porritt, a spokesman for the program.

Pharmacies and drug companies are funding the card in an effort to increase "foot traffic" in pharmacies, Porritt said.

Walgreens and Kmart accept the card, and officials said it should be accepted at several other pharmacies in the Rio Grande Valley. Some local pharmacists said, however, that they hadn't heard of the program.

Be sure and ask at your pharmacy to see if it's participating in a discount program, said Kelley of the attorney general's office. The program could be legitimate, but the pharmacy might not be participating, he said.

However, a free card, like the Texas Rx Card, is less likely to be a scam, Ward said.

"If it's really free, it might be worth looking at," he said.

How does a free prescription discount drug card sound? Too good to be true right? Not if you live in Texas. The Texas Prescription Card Program was launched to help the uninsured and underinsured people of Texas cut back on their expensive medications. There are no restrictions to membership and Texas residents can expect to receive an average savings of around 30%.

"This program has been rolled out in over 20 states and it has saved the uninsured over $100,000,000 million dollars in prescription drug costs. So this program is up and running all over the county. It will eventually be in all 50 states. Right now its in 20 states," said Program Director Reed Dickens.

There are no income restrictions, age limit or applications to fill out. Over 50,000 national and regional pharmacies subscribe to this program.

A new discount prescription program is underway across Texas. It promises to save you up to 75% on some of your medicine.

It's called the "Texas RX Card." The program has been up and running for about six months on a trial basis, but officially launched Monday. You sign up on the web site and print out your card. The company says the card is accepted at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens. HEB told News 4 they also accept the card, but says their own discount card plan saves people more money.

The Texas Rx Card Program is offering a new discount card that could save medical patients up to 75% on their prescription drug costs.

The free card, which is accepted by several different pharmacies, is available to anyone no requirements.

While the program is new in Texas, the discount card has been tested in several different cities and reports indicate it has already saved consumers millions of dollars in prescription costs.

Offered in more than 20 states, the card covers 95% of all pharmaceutical drugs offered in the U.S.

The rising cost of prescription drugs, fuel and groceries is putting some Central Texans in a bind.

But there may be help thanks to a program new to Texas that will give everyone a discount on their medications.

Representatives with the Texas Drug Card say Texans can save between 30 and 75 percent on almost all prescription drugs just by filling out a form online.

The card is designed to help the under-insured and uninsured but anyone can apply. Major pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS and HEB as well as some independent pharmacies will accept the card.

Officials say the card can be used on 95 percent of all generic and brand name drugs and is expected to save Texans millions of dollars annually.

"The statistics speak for themselves. The program's up and running in about 20 states and it saved Americans, uninsured Americans, almost $100 million on prescription drugs thus far." Texas RX Card Program Director Reed Dickens said.

Los residentes de Texas que no cuenten con un seguro médico que cubra el costo de sus medicamentos, tienen a partir de hoy una nueva opción para recibir sus medicinas a un precio reducido.

La tarjeta Rx, parte del Texas Rx Card Program, ofrece entre 30 y 75 por ciento de descuento en medicamentos en farmacias de todo el país.

"Esto brinda la oportunidad de que personas sin seguro reciban descuentos al comprar sus medicinas, es realmente un gran beneficio", dijo Ben Porritt, director de comunicacién del Texas Rx Card Program.

Porritt agregó que el 95 por ciento de los medicamentos que requieran receta califican para el descuento.

De acuerdo con Porritt, la tarjeta es gratuita y además de ser para personas sin seguro médico, está disponible también para personas que cuentan con seguros de salud que no cubren los medicamentos.

También la pueden solicitar quienes no califican para obtener Medicaid o Medicare.

"No hay restricciones de edad o ingresos", dijo Porritt.

Para obtener la tarjeta de descuento puede visitar la página de Internet www.texasrxcard.com, disponible también en español.

También se puede solicitar en farmacias como CVS, Kmart, Walgreens, Albertsons y otros negocios independientes.

En la página en internet también se puede ver una lista de todos los medicamentos a los que se aplica el descuento.

El Texas Rx Card Program es parte de United Networks of America (UNA), una organización no lucrativa dedicada a promover la importancia del cuidado médico.

"Este programa ha logrado que los participantes en todo el país ahorren más de un mill ón de dólares en el costo de sus medicamentos", dijo en un comunicado, Brian Oliver, presidente ejecutivo de UNA.

Además de Texas, California, Nueva York, Arizona, Colorado y otros estados también participan en el programa.

In the world of prescription drug discount programs, Texas has a new partner on the block. The Texas Rx Card Program, which provides discounts on prescription drugs, began a push to register participants this week.

The card is free, has no registration requirements and provides savings up to 75 percent on prescription drugs. The program has saved more than $100 million for consumers in more than 20 other states, program director Reed Dickens said. The card is the latest in a growing number of such programs. Other pharmacies, hospitals and organizations offer discounts to customers to increase business. Most programs provide discounts offered by pharmacies or pharmaceutical companies in an effort to spur pharmacy visits in the face of rising drug costs.

"I don't think it's much different from other types of stores offering other discounts," Dickens said. To register for the Texas Rx Card Program, visit www.TexasRxCard.com. Provide basic information, print the given form and take it to participating pharmacies for the discounts.

"Most major pharmacies and almost all drugs are covered on this program," Dickens said. Savings average 30 percent, Dickens said. "It also covers some pet medication," he said. The Web site shows participating pharmacies, which includes many independents.

Wal-Mart pharmacies aren't included in the program. However, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club pharmacies provide a 30-day supply of more than 350 generic medications for $4. The retail giant will provide a 90-day supply for $10. Northwest Texas Healthcare System began a program in November 2006 that intends to help the uninsured or those without prescription drug benefits. The hospital works with Health Plan Partners and registers patients to the program, which has no monthly cost and no eligibility requirements. Savings are about 45 percent per prescription. The hospital has registered more than 16,000. One of the largest discount programs is the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, which boosts talk show host Montel Williams as its national spokesman.

Through its Web site, www.pparx.org, consumers can access more than 475 assistance programs.

During his tenure as CEO of United Networks of America, Jumonville built United Networks of America (UNA) into the largest affinity and health networking companies in the country. In 2012, Jumonville stepped down as CEO and transitioned into the position of Chairman. The move was strategic as he planned to dedicate more of his time to his family, philanthropy, and strategic acquisitions. The move turned out to be a big success on all fronts.

Jumonville has led UNA to four significant acquisitions during his short tenure as Chairman. Most of the acquisitions have been in the Rx division of UNA which is known as UNA Rx Card. This has helped solidify them as the national market leader in that business segment. UNA Rx Card is responsible for most of the innovative changes in the prescription cash card industry. They are considered a pharmacy friendly plan and have always made client value a priority. These are rare attributes in the Prescription Benefit Management (PBM) community where revenues almost always win over values.

In addition to his new role as Chairman, Jumonville committed more of his time to philanthropic causes. He donated one million meals to the Food Bank, built houses for single mothers, built fresh water wells in Africa, donated scholarships to children of deceased U.S. military service members, supported children's healthcare, and much more. The American Cancer Society, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Warrick Dunn Foundation and Desire Street Ministries have each recognized him with awards for his generosity and support. In all, he contributed and provided support to dozens of charities and aid organizations.

Despite having a busy schedule Jumonville prefers to be known as a consummate family man. His greatest joy is to spend time with his two children, Jayden and Gavin. He makes the time to drop them off at school each morning. He is expecting his third child in October of this year.

As an industry leader, Jumonville is admired for having found the prescription for success both professionally and personally.

The preferred pharmacy of the Texas Rx Card is H.E.B. pharmacies. Additional participating pharmacies include the following:Walgreens, Kroger, Albertson's, Target, Brookshire Brothers, Costco, as well as many other chain drug stores and thousands of independent pharmacies.

The Texas Rx Card was launched to help the uninsured and under insured people of Texas afford their prescription medications. However, the program can also be used by people who have health insurance coverage with no prescription benefits (which is common in many HSA's and high deductible health plans). Program Director, M'Elaine Booth notes, "Even those with prescription coverage can utilize the program by using it for their non-covered or non-formulary drugs." This program even covers some pet medications (medications that are available at participating pharmacies). The Texas Rx Card program has no restrictions or participation requirements and the program is open to every resident of Texas.

Texas Rx Card has partnered with Health Access America, a non-profit organization that educates and informs the uninsured, the media, and the public at large about affordable health care options. Health Access America develops and distributes free information about the issue of the uninsured to help citizens find health solutions. "We're excited to have the opportunity to work with Health Access America to provide the people of Texas with free access to prescription discounts," said Ryan Jumonville, president and chief executive officer of United Networks of America. "We've successfully launched programs in New York, California, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arizona, Colorado, and Tennessee. We've saved the residents of these states millions of dollars and we look forward to doing the same for the people of Texas."

The Texas Rx Card Program is a special project of United Networks of America and is presented as a community service. "It has been the goal of United Networks of America (UNA) to help people around the country obtain affordable health care," says UNA President/CEO, Ryan Jumonville. "Our original mission was to plug the niches and gaps in coverage our health plan clients offer to their members, but we saw the opportunity to perform a valuable community service by opening this up as a free program to the uninsured as well," continued Mr. Jumonville, "and it is our hope that this will enable more people to afford and proactively take the medications they genuinely need!"

This program is powered by UNA Rx Card, which is a division of United Networks of America. Brian Oliver, EVP, noted that "the Free Rx program has brought almost $66,000,000 in prescription savings to members around the country in the short history of the program with calendar year savings for 2007 projected to approach $100,000,000." UNA Rx Card is the fastest growing discount prescription card company in the United States.