“Louisiana’s FREE Discount Prescription Drug Card Program”

The Louisiana Drug Card is a FREE discount precription drug card program that provides card holders with the lowest plan price on prescriptions at participating pharmacies. Visit the Louisiana Drug Card Website or your local CVS/pharmacy for enrollment information.

For many, health and prescription insurance isn't a necessity. It's a luxury. It's just too expensive for many families .. families that often forgo much needed prescriptions for food and clothing. But as KPLC's Laila Morcos tells us, thousands of families have a new option that's offering a way to get affordable prescriptions.

What's in pill bottles may be life saving, but for some, the cost is just too high. "Premiums are going up. They're covering less and less things." Bert Melancon says health insurance and prescription drugs prices are an expensive option many families are doing without .. until now.

Bert's the Program Manager for the Louisiana Drug Card .. a free discount prescription program that seems almost unbelievable. "This card has no restrictions and no fees and there's no eligibility ways to receive this vehicle but anyone can use this card."

So how do you go about getting one of these cards? It's very easy. Just inquire at any healthcare facility or your pharmacy. "You simply bring the card to your local pharmacy and give the card to your pharmacist and they give you the discount." A discount anywhere from five to 25 % off. It's a low cost guarantee card. "You're either going to get the discount that's with that card, or you're going to get the lowest cost that pharmacy paid for that particular drug."

Plus, you can use it nationwide at most pharmacies. That way when you're trying to get these expensive medicines filled, it won't be as costly to your wallet.

The drug card has been made available through the non-profit group Louisiana Health Care Alliance and United Networks of America.

Volume 31, No. 45 — December 2, 2011

Louisiana has a new prescription assistance program called the Louisiana Drug Card, which is a free discount prescription drug card program that provides card holders with the lowest plan price on prescriptions at participating pharmacies. The program helps the uninsured and underinsured obtain prescription medications, but residents with insurance can also use the program to get discounts on "non-covered" drugs (e.g., Chantix, Lipitor, Nexium). All residents of Louisiana are eligible to get pharmacy discounts through this program, which can be used to supplement most health insurance plans including Health Savings Accounts and High Deductible Plans. It can also be used as a Medicare Part D supplement by providing discounts on non-covered drugs. The program has no membership restrictions, no income requirements, no age limitations, and no applications to complete. The average savings are roughly 30 percent, but cardholders can receive up to 75 percent savings on medications. The program includes discounts on brand and generic medications. The Discount Prescription Card is pre-activated and accepted at over 56,000 pharmacies around the country, including most major chains. To get a card, visit the Louisiana Drug Card website.

The Louisiana Drug Card Program is giving free prescription discount cards to every Louisiana resident. There are no restrictions on age or income, and no paperwork to fill out. Since the program's inception, 34,685 people have enrolled and saved over 1.5 million dollars. Saving on prescription drugs is as easy as logging onto www.louisianadrugcard.com and typing your name and your e-mail address to download a personalized card. The discount cards are generated instantly after registration and can be printed out and used immediately.

According to the US Census Bureau, between 2004 and 2006, the three year average of those without health insurance was estimated at 18.6% of Louisiana's population.

The Louisiana Drug Card Program also provides discounts on such things as eye glasses, contacts, LASIK surgery, hearing exams and hearing aids. Card users can expect to save an average of 23 to 30 percent and in some instances users can save up to 75 percent on prescriptions drugs. The discounts apply to virtually every drug that requires a prescription and is not limited to brand name drugs or drugs made by certain pharmaceutical companies.

"We see the need for the Louisiana Drug Card Program and we hope to reach more residents of our state in the 2008 campaign of the program. We also want to thank groups like Rite Aid, Louisiana Health Plan, Louisiana Department of Social Services, LA CHIP, Health Access America, New Orleans Dept. of Health, Baton Rouge Clinic and many others who have helped to reach people who need more affordable prescriptions. We also invite any other organizations who need access to the program for there employees or patients." Bert Melancon, Program Director, stated.

The prescription drug card isn't unique to just Louisiana. In fact, a version of this card is distributed in New York, Alabama, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado and Tennessee.

The cards are valid at more than 50,000 national and regional pharmacies and include such places as Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Target, CVS, Winn-Dixie and many others. Visitors can find participating pharmacies in their area by clicking the "pharmacy locator" tab on the home page of the Louisiana Drug Card's website.

The Louisiana drug card can be used by those Louisiana residents who are uninsured or underinsured and who do not qualify for publicly funded programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare. Additionally, people who have prescription coverage can use this program for non-formulary or non-covered drugs. The program even covers some pet medications that are offered at the participating pharmacies. A complete list of prescriptions that are discounted by this program can be found on the website by clicking on the "medication pricing" link.

The program has a "Spirit" and a "Freedom" program and Louisiana residents are encouraged to register for both cards to maximize their savings.

For more information on the Louisiana Prescription Drug Card Program visit www.louisianadrugcard.com. For anyone needing assistance in getting a card or understanding how to use it, call 1-877-321-6755.

About United Networks of America

United Networks of America is one of the largest providers of value added managed care products and services in the Unites States with more than 380,000 participating Providers serving more than 30.2 million members. UNA clients include Insurance Companies, Associations, Unions, Universities, TPA's, City, Federal and State Governments, School Systems, Value Added Programs, and large Employers. For more information about United Networks of America, visit www.unitednetworksofamerica.com.

DADE CITY, Fla. (September 13, 2011) --- The Warrick Dunn Family Foundation (WD-FF), a public charity serving single-parent families in Atlanta, Ga., Baton Rouge, La., Tallahassee and Tampa, Fla., rewarded three single mothers and their eight children for achieving financial independence by becoming first-time homebuyers through its Homes for the Holidays (HFTH) program on Tuesday morning.

In honor of the recent Labor Day holiday, the three homes were completely furnished with linens, bedding, fully stocked kitchens and home decor, made possible by a $75,000 donation from Dunn's former teammate, Ryan Jumonville and his company, United Networks of America. Included in Jumonville's donation, a $5,000 down payment was provided to each homebuyer through a grant made to Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco, the homebuilder and lender for all three homes. In addition, Toshiba Business Solutions sponsored the family's home offices.

Linda Hambrick and her three children were thrilled to find Warrick Dunn in the front yard of their new home. The Hambrick family soon realized that their home, rehabbed by Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco, was completely furnished with furniture from Aaron's Inc. (NSE: AAN), the program's corporate partner. In addition, Jumonville's donation assisted with $10,000 in complete home furnishings and $5,000 down payment assistance, drastically lowering Hambrick's monthly mortgage payments.

In tears, Hambrick, said, "My kids don't have to say that we have to pack again and they will have their own rooms."

Immediately following the Hambrick family's home presentation, Dunn and supporters traveled around the corner to reward Ramona Atkins and her two children who also became HFTH recipients Tuesday morning. Atkins and her children have been living in a small, two-bedroom apartment in need of repairs, where the two children shared a bedroom with twin beds and barely enough space to walk. Hambrick was speechless when she saw Dunn standing at the end of her driveway.

Once inside the home, her son, Christopher, could not contain himself when he opened the door to his new amphibian themed room, exclaiming, "I don't just like it, I love it!"

Warrick Dunn, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, started the HFTH program in 1997 to honor his late mother's dream of homeownership. Betty Smothers, a Baton Rouge police officer, was killed while working an after-hours security shift when Dunn was an 18-year-old high school senior.

"Changing lives has been a passion of mine since I lost my mom. These three mothers have worked hard to provide a secure home for their families and they deserve to be rewarded and set up for success as a homeowner," said Dunn about the HFTH program.

As the Atkins family's home presentation came to an end, Dunn walked next door to reward a single mother of two. Soporro Burns and her two children have been homeless while their Habitat home was being built. Burns, who is self-employed, has proven herself determined to give her children a safe and stable home environment, completing over 400 sweat equity hours as a family.

"We are confident that these families will continue to succeed and we are happy to support them in their endeavors," said Neal Weldon, Regional Manager for Aaron's Inc.

To date, WD-FF and its sponsors have rewarded 107 single parents and 286 children in Atlanta, Ga., Baton Rouge, La., and Tallahassee and Tampa, Fla. for achieving the American Dream of purchasing their first home.