Florida to offer senior prescription discount card

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced yesterday a new prescription discount card for seniors and others who can’t afford their medications. Nearly 4 million people are expected to be eligible for the cards, Crist said, and the card will provide discounts on most prescription drugs.

People 60 and older who don’t have prescription drug coverage or who are on Medicare but fall through the program’s prescription drug gap will be eligible for the card regardless of their income.

Besides those over 60, younger people will also be able to get one of the cards if their income is low enough. For individuals, the threshold is $30,636 a year. Families of four whose income is below $61,956 will be eligible.

“For many who experience chronic health conditions, prescription drugs can be the key to a good quality of life,” Crist said. “Unfortunately, many working families and seniors struggle to afford the medications that they need every day.”

Savings will vary depending on the drug, but on the most commonly prescribed medicines, the discount will range from 5 percent to more than 40 percent, Crist said. More than 3,000 retail pharmacies have agreed to accept the discount card including CVS, Walgreens and Wal-Mart.