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Fairfax County Makes Free Prescription Drug Discount Card Available to All Residents
Residents may be able to cut their prescription drug costs by almost half on average, thanks to a new, free discount card offered by Fairfax County through a partnership. This card will help the estimated 144,000-plus residents without health insurance, although it may offer savings to the insured too.
The county is making the card available because the number of uninsured has spiked in recent years. Their ranks have grown by 27 percent between 2009 and 2010, according to U.S. Census estimates. The latest figures show that 13.5 percent of residents lacked insurance last year.
There are several ways to get a Fairfax County Prescription Drug Discount Card:
- Print a card at www.FairfaxRxDiscountCard.com.
- Get a card at any participating pharmacy; supplies will be limited.
- Look in the mail. In the next two weeks, they will be mailed to homes in areas with the highest concentration of uninsured residents.
On average, the card cuts the cost of a prescription by 45 percent, depending on the drug and amount bought. For brand-name drugs, discounts are estimated to be 10 to 20 percent, and 20 to 70 percent for generics. Based on use countywide, officials expect the card will produce a total savings of $280,000 per month.
Studies have shown that lack of insurance, economic hardship and drug costs cause many to forgo the medicines they need. This fall a nationwide survey by Consumer Reports found that 35 percent of people with low-incomes are skimping on their medicines, with:
- percent not filling a prescription
- percent taking an expired medicine
- percent skipping a dose
- percent splitting pills in half
- percent sharing a prescription with someone else
Besides the uninsured, the discount card also may help insured residents anytime they must pay full price for a prescription because their plan doesn't cover a drug. The card cannot be used to reduce the cost of co-pays, co-insurance or deductibles.
Discounts are available for some pet medicines too. However, the drugs must be human medicines that can be taken by animals, and the prescription must be filled at a pharmacy, not a veterinarian's office.
Almost every pharmacy in the county accepts the card, plus 62,000 others across the nation. No enrollment or registration is needed to use it, and one card can be used for multiple people. To get discounts, just present the card at the pharmacy when buying medicine.
No personal or health information is collected when the card is used, and an individual's drug purchases are completely confidential. However, pharmacies will report the total types and amounts of drugs sold by discount in order for the county to track the total savings generated.
Fairfax County is offering the discount card through a partnership with ProAct, a pharmacy benefit management company. For information or help, call ProAct's help desk toll-free at 1-877-776-2285, TTY 711.
Help is available 24/7, and ProAct's customer service staff can answer questions in many languages. Visit www.FairfaxRxDiscountCard.com to print a card, get more information, or find participating pharmacies.
For members of the media who need more information, contact the Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs at 703-324-3187, TTY 711.
Governor McDonnell’s “Commission of Government Reform and Restructuring”
Governor McDonnell’s “Commission of Government Reform and Restructuring” has drafted a list of proposed reforms for reducing and consolidating state government, intended to efficiently reduce the size of government. Here is the list of proposed changes, as well as background on the Commission and their study.
If you have comments or concerns about this report, please contact your State Delegate or State Senator - a list can be found here.
Fairfax Community Connections Network
This exciting community network was created to expand and enhance connections between organizations and local nonprofit organizations in an effort to “Give, Gather and Get Involved” to make a difference in Fairfax County. Continued involvement is important since the network was created to support the work we all do to promote community and corporate engagement to address critical needs in Fairfax County.
Fairfax Community Connections is not an organization, but a virtual collaboration of Fairfax County chambers, nonprofits, businesses, and community groups who share the goal of promoting and recognizing community engagement. Linking our websites and social media networks, our exposure and impact on members and viewers expands and provides a variety of opportunities to engage and learn about critical information and current needs, as well as success stories, throughout the County. To showcase the initiative as a strong resource, Fairfax Community Connections has implemented features through Volunteer Fairfax technology, including a shared community calendar to promote local events, including days of service, donation drives, and training opportunities; an information tool on how to donate to local organizations, both monetarily and physically; and a volunteer opportunity database to help community members find their right fit in the community. All of this, and more, can be found at www.FairfaxCommunityConnections.net and on Facebook.
Vehicle Emergency Supply Kit
Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. Visit this web page for suggestion items. Additionally, the Virginia Department of Transportation has prepared this Winter Weather Driving Tips web page.
Fairfax Medical Reserve Corps - Volunteers Are Needed
The Fairfax County Health Department invites you to learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Fairfax Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). You do not need a medical background to become a MRC volunteer. The Fairfax MRC is an all volunteer program designed to augment the ability of our public health system to help our community during natural disasters and other types of emergencies.
Fairfax MRC volunteers recently played vital roles in Fairfax County’s H1N1 vaccination campaign. Over 1,000 Fairfax MRC volunteers donated more than 18,000 hours to support this unprecedented effort during the 2009-2010 flu season.
It takes just ten hours of training to make a difference in your community. For more information about the Fairfax MRC, call 703-246-8641 or log on to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/mrc.
In Memoriam
Citizens may provide donations to the family of 2Lt. Frank Stecco, who passed away during a training exercise at Pohick Bay Regional Park. More information can be found on the web page created in his memory.
Citizens may provide donations to the families of Detective Vicky Armel and Master Police Officer Michael Garbarino, who died in the line of duty. More information can be found on the web page created in their memory.
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