Familywize Prescription Drug Program

Visit www.familywize.org for more information. Print Your Card.

When United Way of Southwest Michigan partnered with the FamilyWize prescription drug discount program, they didn’t know the response to the program would be so great.

“The response has been overwhelming,” said Angela Brownie, Community Impact Coordinator. “We made the card available at all participating pharmacies and we are already getting calls for more. It’s because people without prescription drug coverage are saving money.”

 

Meijer Pharmacy in Benton Harbor has seen a great response to the program. “This card has been such a huge success,” said Susan Yore, Pharmacy Technician. “We are using them every chance we get and to date the largest amount saved for one patient was $144.50! It was an elderly couple that has no insurance so I was so happy to see that savings.”

According to Yore, savings has averaged between $10 and $20, but some customers are seeing much higher amounts of $40 - $50 per prescription. Since the program began, there have been 132 new FamilyWize claims during the month of June and another 95 new claims for the month of July. The average savings for Berrien County is 30 percent off of the original prescription cost.

 

 

 

The savings on the cost of the medicine is provided by the pharmacies. They agreed to accept prices for medications that are close to the prices they make available to large insurance companies and employers. All other program costs were provided by in-kind donations from sponsors.

 

The FamilyWize program covers all prescription drugs for everyone with little or no prescription coverage. It covers all medicine not covered by a benefit plan. There are no age, income or residency restrictions with the plan. No personal information is collected so there is no registration, activation, paperwork or enrollment.

The program was also done at no cost to United Way or the people using the card.

Because of the program success, United Way is now making the card available at all of its partner agencies, the Berrien County Health Department, Department of Human Services and Tri-County Head Start Classrooms.

 

Partner agencies include: Berrien County Cancer Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Berrien & Cass, Gateway, Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor, Berrien County Health Department – Nurse Family Partnership Program, Salvation Army, Berrien County Council for Children, Child & Family Services of Southwestern Michigan, Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan, Senior Nutrition Services, Emergency Shelter Services, American Red Cross Berrien County Chapter, Boy Scouts of America, Area Agency on Aging, YWCA of Berrien County, SW Michigan Community Action Agency, Girl Scouts of Singing Sands Council, Samaritan Counseling Center and YMCA Family Center.

 

United Way of Southwest Michigan has joined with 550 other United Ways in all 50 states to help lower the cost of prescription medication for families with little or no prescription drug coverage. It is estimated that the partnership nationwide is saving over $1 million every month with a goal of saving $100 million over the next five years. So far, more than 4 million cards have been distributed and over $7 million have been saved to date.

For more information and history on this program, visit the United Way website at www.uwsm.org or the FamilyWize website at www.familywize.org. The prescription card can be printed directly from clicking this linkat the United Way Website or at the the FamilyWize website.

United Way is a global network that advances the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all by focusing on the three key building blocks of education, income and health. The United Way movement creates long lasting community change by addressing the underlying causes of problems that prevent progress in these areas. LIVE UNITED is a call to action for everyone to become a part of the change. For more information about United Way, please visit www.uwsm.org or www.liveunited.org.

 

Contact

Angela Brownie