Illinois free prescription discount card.
Individuals who do not have any health insurance, or who have limited coverage, may be able to receive significant savings on their prescription medications from the Illinois Rx Card. This is a free discount card that anyone can use, and there are no restrictions. While the exact amount of savings will vary, in general most people will save anywhere from 20 to 50% on their medications.
Any resident of Illinois is able to receive the card, and there are no income, age, or other coverage restrictions. It is free to sign up for and also free to use at a pharmacy, and the Illinois Drug Card helps thousands of uninsured or under-insured individuals save money every month. Many people who sign up may have recently lost their job. Or maybe their health insurance plan was changed or benefits cut back. Other applicants may just not have enough money to pay for their needed medications. So this is where the Illinois drug card program can really help.
The vast majority of pharmacies and retailers in Illinois accept the card. This includes major chains such as Walgreens, Dominicks, CVS, Walmart, Rite-Aid, Osco, and many other small mom and pop operations as well.
The savings people can experience are significant. You can use the card for both generic prescriptions as well as brand name items. In general, most consumers are able to save an average of 20 percent off the pharmacy's regular retail price. Individuals usually tend to save more money using the card when they buy generics, and in these cases patients can generally save up to 50% of the cost of their medications. You can buy supplies at the pharmacy or even use a mail order service. Certain injectable drugs and high-tech medications may be covered as well. Not only can the card be used in Illinois, but it can be used in other states as well. In total almost 60,000 pharmacies across the nation will accept the card.
Even if your health insurance company does not cover or reimburse you for certain prescription medications, you can still save money on them by using the Illinois discount card. There are no qualifications that need to be met, you can use it multiple times, and there are no limits as to the total amount of savings you can experience by using the card.
While the exact amount of discounts may vary by the medication you need as well as between pharmacies, savings will usually be anywhere from 20 to 50%. This will also even depend on the location of the specific pharmacy you go to. What the Illinois Rx Card will do is it will provide people the lower between a negotiated deal or the pharmacy’s usual and customary price.
The National Association of Counties (NACo) sponsors this card for many counties and towns in Illinois and across the country. Any state resident without full prescription coverage, or who has inadequate health insurance, can use this card. Even if you already have insurance and it covers some prescription drugs (but not all of them), you may still benefit from the card. The reason being is it may continue to save you money on prescription drugs your existing plan does not reimburse you for. There are no age restrictions, income limits, and your entire family can use the card as well. To learn more or obtain a card, call (877) 891-2198.
Another discount program, that can be combined with the card or used separately, is the Illinois Cares Rx Plus program. This one does have restrictions though. Assistance is only offered for low income seniors who are age 65 or older. This particular program will pay for almost all prescription drugs though. 1-800-252-8966.
Illinois Cares Rx Basic is another program for both the disabled as well as elderly. Low income conditions need to be met. This program will also only pay for certain types of medications, diseases and medical conditions. If you have one or more of the following, and meet other application conditions in place, you may qualify for help from Illinois Cares Rx. Get assistance for conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, Cardiovascular disease, Arthritis, Cancer, Diabetes, Glaucoma, Lung disease and smoking-related illnesses, Osteoporosis, Multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
Applying for Prescription card in Illinois
It is free to residents, both to apply for and use. Thousands of pharmacies support it. To apply, call the Illinois Department on Aging Senior HelpLine, which can be reached at 1-800-252-8966.
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