Spano Announces Bold Program To Give All Residents Access To Lower Cost Prescription Drugs At No Cost To Taxpayers

1st County in the state to provide affordable prescription drug plan to uninsured and underinsured

County Executive Andy Spano today announced an innovative program designed to give Westchester residents of all ages who lack adequate health insurance significant discounts on prescription drugs.

The county program, dubbed "WestchesterRx," will cost county taxpayers nothing, but can save consumers 10 to 50 percent on their medicines. The variations depend on the particular medicine and whether the consumers continue to purchase at a local pharmacy or use a mail order program. And the savings can be even greater if the customer uses an option that accesses pharmacies in Canada.

Westchester becomes the first county in the state and one of the first in the nation to use its clout to devise and implement a comprehensive, easy-to-use program to help residents pay for prescription drugs.

"Something is very wrong in this country where the people who can least afford to pay for medicines are paying the highest prices. This is not going to be true any longer in Westchester County," said Spano. "Our program will provide real savings and provide these savings immediately. And unlike the recently enacted federal prescription drug plan, our program will help people and families regardless of their age."

The county estimates that there are about 90,000 people in Westchester who are uninsured or underinsured. Ultimately, other value-added services such as vision care benefits and discount coupons will be incorporated.

The annual cost of enrolling in the program is $15 for an individual or $26 for a family. Participants receive a card that identifies them as members of the county's new program. People will be able to enroll via the Internet or through an enrollment form. They will be able to buy their medicines at one of 114 participating local pharmacies, through a national network of participating pharmacies or by mail service. A toll-free phone number will be set up for enrollees to call to get names of participating pharmacies - in and out of Westchester - and get answers to other aspects of the program.

"I believe this is the most important program that we have ever implemented in terms of how many people it will affect and its potential to save lives or at least give people access to drugs that can help them with their illnesses and improve their quality of life," Spano said.

In creating the prescription drug plan, the County brought to the table industry leaders to administer the program. Namely, POMCO, administrator of the county's employee health plan; Arxcel, Inc., an independent prescription drug consulting firm; Inteq, a pharmacy benefit managers corporation responsible for claims processing and network management, which negotiated special group rates with the pharmacies; and finally, LibertyCareRx, a marketing organization that will provide the web site, customer service and handle sales for the discount card. Together, with the county's leadership, they have created a model prescription drug benefit program.

The program also includes a Canadian pharmacy option that allows residents to access medicines produced in America but sold at significantly reduced rates in Canada.

"I am outraged that Americans have to pay up to three times as much as Canadians for the same drugs," Spano said.

The program will be operational Feb. 1, 2004 and is open to all Westchester residents. It will begin accepting enrollees in early January. More specific information including a website, brochures and a telephone line will be developed over the next few weeks. There will also be materials and a phone number set up for Spanish-speaking people.

EXAMPLES OF PRICES
(Actual prices can vary from day to day, so these numbers are not precise)

• The average price in Westchester of Lipitor (10mg), taken for high cholesterol, is $81.90 for 30 pills, a month's supply. Through the county's program, the medicine at one of the participating pharmacies will be $67.26, a savings of 17.9 percent. If the member uses mail order, the medication will cost $63.04 for a savings of 23 percent. If the Canadian option is used, the medicine is $54.91, for a total savings of 33 percent.
  
  
• The average price in Westchester for Zoloft (50 mg), an anti-depressant, is $86.96 for 30 pills, a month's supply. Through the county's program, the medicine at one of the participating pharmacies will be $73.83, a savings of 15.1 percent. If the member uses mail order, the medication will cost $69.38 for a savings of 20.2 percent. If the Canadian option is used, the medicine is $53.95, for a total savings of 38 percent.
  
  
• The average price in Westchester for Celebrex (200 mg), for arthritis pain, is $98.12 for 30 pills, a month's supply. Through the county's program, the medicine at one of the participating pharmacies will be $80.02, a savings of 18.4 percent. If the member uses mail order, the medication will cost $75.35 for a savings of 23.2 percent. If the Canadian option is used, the medicine is. $43.25, for a total savings of 55.9 percent
  
  
• The average price in Westchester for Metformin (550 mg), for diabetes, is $23.16 for 30 pills, a month's supply. Through the county's program, the medicine at one of the participating pharmacies will be $21.25, a savings of 8.2 percent. If the member uses mail order, the medication will cost $13.11, for a savings of 43.4 percent. If the Canadian option is used, the medicine is. $5.19, for a total savings of 77.6 percent

HOW THE PROGRAM WILL WORK

• LOCAL PHARMACY NETWORK: Currently, 114 pharmacies in Westchester are part of the extensive geographically diverse pharmacy network. People may bring their prescriptions to these pharmacies, along with their program ID card, to get discounts on their medicines. The local network is made up of chain stores as well as small pharmacies. (A COMPLETE LIST IS ATTACHED) The network will have national coverage as well, so enrollees will be able to obtain their medicines outside the county.
  
  Prices can change depending on the wholesale price of a particular drug on a particular day. The pharmacies, via their contract with the WestchesterRx program, have agreed to a negotiated discount. In the instance where the pharmacy may be charging less for a particular drug on a particular day, the WestchesterRx member will get the lower price. In no case will a member pay more through the network than what the store might otherwise charge.
  
  
• MAIL ORDER OPTION: For larger discounts on maintenance medicines, members can use a mail service pharmacy. The program will use drugstore.com. Prescriptions may be mailed, ordered via the Internet or faxed.
  
  
• CANADIAN OPTION: For even greater discounts, a participant may use the Canadian pharmacy option. WestchesterRx will be working with an intermediary that has relationships with various well-established and quality Canadian pharmacies.

LIST OF PARTICIPATING PHARMACIES AS OF 12/11/2003

Help County Executive Spano Make Sure Affordable Canadian Drugs Remain Available in the USA... Send a message to Congress and the Food and Drug Administration