Black Hawk County is a participant in a discount card program that helps consumers cope with the high price of prescription drugs. The county makes free prescription drug discount cards available under a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo) that offers average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.
The cards may be used by all county residents, regardless of age, income, or existing health coverage, and are accepted at 26 pharmacies in Black Hawk County. A national network of more than 57,000 participating retail pharmacies also will honor the NACo prescription discount card.
The NACo prescription discount card offers significant savings for the uninsured and underinsured residents of the county, and even those fortunate to have prescription coverage can use the card to save money on drugs that are not covered by their health plan. Residents do not have to be Medicare beneficiaries to be eligible for this program.
Cards are available at the following locations: Black Hawk County Auditor’s Office, Central Point of Coordination, and Veterans Affairs; Black Hawk/Grundy Mental Health Center, Cedar Valley Community Support Services, Iowa Department of Correctional Services, Eastside Ministerial Alliance, Family Management Inc., Operation Threshold, Salvation Army, Social Security Administration, and St. Vincent DePaul. County residents can call toll free 1-877-321-2652 or visit https://naco.advancerx.com for assistance with the program.
Using the NACo prescription discount card is easy. Simply present it at a participating pharmacy. There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use. Cardholders and their family members may use the card any time their prescriptions are not covered by insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Questions
How much does the plan cost? Your prescription discount card is provided to you free of charge by the county.
Does everyone in my family need an individual card? No. Everyone in the family may use the same card if desired.
Can I use this card to get discounts on my pet’s medications? Yes, if your pet has been prescribed a medication, you may receive a discount on the medication by taking the prescription to a participating retail pharmacy.
I just received my card. Can I use it right away? Yes, just use your card to start saving immediately. Present your prescription discount card at a participating retail pharmacy when you fill or refill your prescriptions.
I’ve lost my card. How can I get a replacement? Please call toll free 1-877-321-2652.
Can I use my card to get discounts on over-the-counter products and non-prescription medications? Not usually. However, discounts are available for many diabetic supplies.
How is this prescription discount program different from traditional prescription insurance? This plan is not insurance; it is a prescription discount program. The card provides immediate discounts at the pharmacy. Upon presenting your card to the pharmacist, you will pay the lower of a discounted price or the pharmacy’s regular retail price. There are no claim forms to fill out and no limit to the number of times you can use the card. These discounts are available only at participating retail pharmacies.
Can I use my prescription discount card with my current insurance benefit to reduce my costs? Your card cannot be used in conjunction with other insurance. However, you are able to use your card to purchase prescriptions that are not covered by these plans.
Pharmacy and Pricing Questions
What pharmacies accept the card? The prescription discount card is accepted at 54,000 retail pharmacies nationwide, including many of the leading chains. Ask your local pharmacy if they participate or call toll free 1-877-321-2652 to find out if a specific pharmacy participates in the program.
How much will I save? While savings on each prescription may vary, you can save an average of 20 percent off of the pharmacy’s regular retail prices for prescription drugs. In addition, you may save even more by choosing from our list of select medications. This list is comprised of products offering additional savings.
Will I always receive the lowest price? Yes. You will receive the best price available to you through this program at the pharmacy. On occasion, pharmacies will price a particular medication lower than the discount rate provided by the card. If that occurs, you will receive the lower price.
Can I find out the discounted price of my prescriptions before going to the pharmacy? Because prices can vary by location, only the actual pharmacy can tell you the exact price of the prescription. However, you can look up an estimated price for medications at https://naco.advancerx.com , or call toll free 1-877-321-2652.
Why did the price of my prescription change since the last time I purchased the prescriptions? Drug prices are different from pharmacy to pharmacy. Even chains have different prices in their stores depending on the population they are servicing. Additionally, manufacturer’s drug prices change periodically.
The brochure says I can save an average of 20 percent on my prescription medication. Will I save 20 percent on all my medications? Because a pharmacy’s retail price or usual and customary charge can differ greatly by pharmacy, your exact percentage of savings may vary depending on the prescription drug and the price you have paid before.
About Specialty Pharmacy
What is specialty pharmacy and what kinds of service do they offer? What is specialty pharmacy and what kinds of service do they offer? Specialty pharmacy offers delivery of injectable and select oral specialty medication and supplies to the location of your choice. Services include delivery notification and refill reminder calls to help you stay on your treatment plan. You’ll also receive expert care services including counseling, follow up care calls, informative disease-related materials, and access to health experts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
What drugs are offered through specialty pharmacy? Medications for a variety of chronic conditions including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, infertility, immunologic disorders, Crohn’s disease, Gaucher disease, pulmonary hypertension, Fabry disease, MPS 1, blood dyscrasia, growth hormone deficiency, respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis C and more are available through specialty pharmacy.
About the Caremark Mail Service Program
What is Mail Service? With the Caremark Mail Service program, you can purchase up to a 90-day supply of select medications from the mail service pharmacy for a fixed price. It’s easy to get started with mail service – just send in the mail service order form, along with your original prescription, to Caremark. For a list of medications available and to receive an order form please call toll free 1-877-321-2652 or visit https://naco.advancerx.com.
Grant Veeder
Black Hawk County Auditor