Discount Drug Program

The card is currently accepted at over 48,000 pharmacies throughout the United States. The network includes pharmacy chains as well as thousands of independent pharmacies throughout the country. Pharmacy location information can be obtained by contacting our customer service department.

There is no guaranteed percentage savings on every prescription purchase. The price paid depends upon the pharmacy and the type and quantity of drug purchased. Pharmacies, just like other retail stores, compete against each other and may have special prices on some products. When this is the case, we cannot discount the pharmacy’s already low price, but a member will receive the advantage of the pharmacy’s special pricing. THE MEMBER ALWAYS RECEIVES THE LOWER OF THE CONTRACT PRICE OR THE PHARMACY’S PRICE.

Once a patent on a brand name drug expires, other drug companies may make a generic version of the drug, with the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA’s standards for quality are the same for all manufacturers. This means the generic drug contains the same active ingredients as the brand name whose patent has expired, and that its safe, potent and effective.

The use of generic prescription drugs, whenever available, is most cost effective. Don’t be shy – discuss your prescription options with your doctor. Ask whether an alternative, less expensive option would work for your condition.

Simply ask your local pharmacist or call our customer service department to find out about generic equivalents for your prescription. Also ask your doctor to prescribe generics whenever possible and appropriate. (Your new member packet will include helpful materials you can share with your doctor.)

The brand name is the trade name under which the product is advertised and sold, and is protected by patents so that it can only be produced by one manufacturer for a predetermined number of years. Once a patent expires, other companies may manufacturer a generic equivalent, providing they follow stringent FDA regulations for safety. Generic drugs are drugs for which the patent has expired, allowing other manufacturers to produce and distribute the product under a generic name. Generics are essentially a chemical copy of their brand name equivalents. The color or shape may be different, but the active ingredients must be the same for both. The preferred drug list contains only FDA-approved generic medications.

A preferred drug list is a list of recommended prescription medications that is created, reviewed and continually updated by a team of physicians and pharmacists. The preferred drug list contains a wide range of generic and brand name preferred products that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Your doctor can use this list to select medications for your health care needs, while helping you maximize your prescription drug benefit. A medication becomes a preferred drug based on safety and efficacy, then on cost-effectiveness.

Pharmacies may not be familiar with every prescription program in which they participate. If the pharmacist does not recognize your card or if you encounter a problem at the pharmacy, DO NOT leave without having the pharmacy call the toll-free number printed on the ID card.