NEVADA – Getting sick could soon be a lot cheaper for Story County residents, thanks to a new countywide discount-drug program.

At the Story County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, members of the board launched a prescription drug discount card that could save all county residents, including ISU students, as much as 20 percent on prescription medicine.

“The card will be accepted at all Story County pharmacies and will be made available after Nov. 1,” said Story County Administrative Officer Sherry Howard. “Anybody that does not have health insurance or a prescription benefit is eligible for the card, but even drugs not available through insurance providers are covered.”

Supervisor Jane Halliburton said the discount cards were made available through a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties.

“NACo set up a pilot program and tested it throughout the country,” she said. “It was a tremendous success and saved residents over $650,000.

“In May, the organization voted to make the card available to all members of NACo.”

During a presentation to the board, Howard discussed how residents will be able to use the cards, which are free regardless of age, income or existing health care plans, and include full-family coverage. Halliburton said the cards will not cost the county any money.

“It’s not an insurance program. It’s an agreement between pharmacies and Caremark [the program’s administrator],” she said.

“This does not cost the county anything and is nothing more than cooperative purchasing. We’ve long had a concern of the high costs of prescription drugs; we’re so excited about this.”

According to the board’s news release, the card will be accepted at all county pharmacies and at more than 57,000 retail pharmacies throughout the nation.

Howard said not all retailers have been notified of the future discounts, but a committee in charge of directing the new program will be distributing information to businesses and residents before the Nov. 1 deadline.

Supervisor Don Toms raised concern over ISU students understanding the discount and ensured it would be one of the committee’s top priorities.

“I’m sure this will be a real benefit for students with limited income,” he said.

Todd Cisneros, staff pharmacist at the Thielen Student Health Center, said he was not aware of the discount card.

“I assume we’d be able to take it, but I hate to say 100 percent before I receive a card and try to process a prescription for a student,” he said.

“We honor most Caremark prescription plans.”

Scott Sitzman, manager of the Target pharmacy, 320 S. Duff Ave., said most of the cards just help businesses – retailers do not normally lose money from discount programs.

“If we sell a $10 bottle of medication for $9.50, we do not lose money because we gain an extra customer,” Sitzman said.