Utah Drug Card Media Center

In just two years, Utahns have saved $2,171,425 on prescription drug refills by using the Utah Drug Card. The card is available through the Salt Lake Chamber offering savings of up to 75 percent on prescription drugs.

"The cost of health care has risen dramatically in recent years and it's having a very real impact on businesses, families and individuals,' said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. "We continue to work on our efforts to drive down health insurance costs for business in our state but this allows us to provide intermediate relief as a statewide business organization and as a good community partner.'

(Salt Lake City) – Utah residents will have access to a new statewide prescription assistance program starting tomorrow. The Utah Drug Card is a free discount prescription drug card program that will offer residents savings of up to 75% on prescription drugs at retail pharmacies.

All Utah residents are eligible to participate in this program by simply printing a card on the program's website www.utahdrugcard.com. Residents can also obtain cards at various health centers, clinics, businesses, and other card distribution sites that are being set up across the state.

The Utah Drug Card was launched to help the uninsured and underinsured citizens of Utah 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 health savings accounts (HSA) and high deductible health plans. Additionally, people who have prescription coverage can use this program to get a discount on non-formulary or non-covered drugs.

This statewide initiative is receiving support from organizations such as the Salt Lake Chamber, Utah Hospital and Health Systems Association, and Utah Non-Profits Association. The Utah Drug Card provides Utah residents with a simple solution to the confusing maze of discount prescription programs that have appeared in recent years. Many of these programs only cover certain drugs, charge fees, and some have membership restrictions such as age and income requirements.

Anyone interested in learning more can visit www.utahdrugcard.com.

The Salt Lake Chamber is offering Utahns free prescription-drug assistance cards that cut drug bills by an average of 30 percent.

"We've opened it to the entire community [of Utah], and we've done that because it provides an opportunity for Utahns to have discounted access to pharmaceuticals in a convenient way. And it's supporting of our overall health goals," said the chamber's chief operating officer, Natalie Gochnour.

The Utah Drug Card provides savings as high as 75 percent on generics and up to 50 percent on name-brand medicines, said Francesco Ciccone, executive vice president of United Networks of America, which administers the program.

The program has no restrictions on membership, income requirements or age limitations, and there no applications to fill out. The card is a lifeline for people without insurance. It's also useful to people whose health insurance coverage excludes prescription benefits. And it can be used to purchase prescription drugs that aren't covered by insurance policies.

What it doesn't do is reduce out-of-pocket co-payments for drugs covered by insurance.

The card can be used at more than 56,000 pharmacies across the country.

The program is funded by numerous pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies. Restat, a prescription benefits management company, is the biggest donor, Ciccone said.

At least 35 chambers of commerce, including the Denver chamber and the statewide Oregon chamber, offer similar programs, he said.

How to get the card:
It can be downloaded from the chamber's Web site, www.saltlakechamber.org. On the right side of the home page, click on a link sandwiched between advertisements for Intermountain Healthcare and the U.S. Census Bureau.

(Salt Lake City) – Over a year ago, the Salt Lake Chamber began offering the Utah Drug Card, a new statewide prescription assistance program. Since its introduction, the card has helped thousands of Utahns save money on prescription drugs.

The program provides free drug cards to all Utah residents and offers savings of up to 75 percent on prescription drugs. This program has no restrictions to membership, no income requirements, no age limitations and there are no applications to fill out. The Utah Drug is accepted at over 50,000 pharmacy locations across the country.

Since its launch in October of 2009, the Utah Drug Card has grown tremendously in its popularity and use in our state. In its early stages, a few hundred prescriptions were filled each month with savings through the card but a year later, more than 2,000 prescriptions are being filled monthly.

"It's exciting to see the dramatic increase in popularity of the Utah Drug Card." said Ryan Evans, vice president of business and community relations of the Salt Lake Chamber. "With savings up to 75% and more than 2,000 prescriptions being filled each month, those Utahns participating in the program are realizing significant savings."

Health system reform has been among the Chamber's top public policy priorities for several years with efforts aimed at controlling costs, strengthening Utah's economy and improving lives. Only 44 percent of Utah firms offer health insurance to their employees, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and over 300,000 Utahns are without insurance.

The Utah Drug Card is a simple solution to rising medication costs. Visit www.UtahDrugCard.com to download a free card and look up participating pharmacies in your area. Anyone not able to access the website, or otherwise obtain a member card, can inquire about the card at their local pharmacy.

About the Chamber
The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah's largest statewide business association and Utah's Business Leader. With roots that date back to 1887, the Chamber has been standing as the voice of business, supporting its members' success and championing community prosperity for over 100 years. The Chamber represents 6,100 businesses statewide and one in every three jobs in the Utah economy. Chamber strategic partners include the Downtown Alliance and World Trade Center Utah.

In just two years, Utahns have saved $2,171,425 on prescription drug refills by using the Utah Drug Card. The card is available through the Salt Lake Chamber offering savings of up to 75 percent on prescription drugs.

"The cost of health care has risen dramatically in recent years and it's having a very real impact on businesses, families and individuals," said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. "We continue to work on our efforts to drive down health insurance costs for business in our state but this allows us to provide intermediate relief as a statewide business organization and as a good community partner."

This program has no restrictions to membership, no income requirements, no age limitations and there are no applications to fill out. Utah Drug Card is accepted at over 50,000 pharmacy locations across the country.

The Utah Drug Card is funded through the participation of pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies. The program is also receiving support from the public and private sectors. Other organizations have also endorsed and will promote the Utah Drug Card available including the Utah Nonprofits Association and the Utah Hospitals and Health Systems Association.

The Utah Drug Card increases the affordability of prescription medications for both uninsured and underinsured Utahns. The program can also be used by people who have health insurance coverage with no prescription benefits, a common scenario in many health savings accounts (HSA) and high deductible health plans. Additionally, people who have prescription coverage can use this program for non-covered drugs.

The Utah Drug Card is a solution to the confusing maze of discount prescription programs that have appeared in recent years. Many of these programs only cover certain drugs, charge fees and some have membership restrictions including age and income requirements. Utah residents can download a free card, search drug pricing, and locate participating pharmacies at www.slchamber.com.