Washington, D.C., to offer caremark Rx discount cards to all residents

Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony Williams on Wednesday announced a program called DC Rx that will provide prescription drug discount cards at no cost to residents, the Washington Post reports (Silverman, Washington Post, 10/19).

The cards, which will be accepted at 98% of D.C. pharmacies, will be available to all District residents regardless of age, income, health coverage or citizenship.

Residents with existing prescription drug coverage can use the cards to obtain discounts on medications that are not covered by their plans (Office of the Mayor release, 10/18).

The discount card program, which is administered by Caremark Rx and sponsored by the National Association of Counties, is in place in 41 states.

The D.C. card will provide average savings of 20% off the retail price of commonly prescribed brand-name and generic medications.

English and Spanish versions of the card will be distributed through community health centers; the Women, Infants and Children program; and Catholic Community Services, which manages the D.C. Pharmaceutical Resource Center (Lopes, Washington Times, 10/19).

About 75,000 D.C. residents are uninsured, according to the mayor's office (Washington Post, 10/19).