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Local Pharmacist Leery Of Discount Cards

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By TONY HOLT, Hernando Today

Published: December 23, 2007

SPRING HILL - There may be more than 3 million Floridians happier today about the newly introduced discount drug cards, but one local pharmacist said he is skeptical any time he hears of a savings program for prescription medicine.

Consumer savings come with a price - one that may be too steep for smaller businesses like his.

"Somebody's got to take a hit for this," said Dr. Kirit Patidar of Cortez Drug, a locally owned pharmacy located east of Weeki Wachee. "Where is the discount coming from? The chains won't suffer too much, but the smaller pharmacies will."

Under the new Florida Discount Drug Card program, thousands of pharmacies statewide will offer reduced prices on prescription medicine to those who are uninsured or have gaps in their Medicare coverage. The discounts will range from 5 percent to more than 40 percent, according to the governor's office.

Patidar referred to the county's own discount card program as evidence of how one party's benefit can be a detriment to another.

"We have the Hernando discount cards here," said Patidar, referring to the county's program that was introduced last year. "We get charged for it every time someone uses it. It looks good, but we're the ones who end up paying."

The chain pharmacies - namely Walgreen's and Sweetbay - referred all questions to their corporate offices.

Clyde Elrod, who was shopping at the Walgreen's at the corner of Mariner Boulevard and Spring Hill Drive Friday, said he was eager to learn more about the discount card program. His wife has an acute form of arthritis that requires her to take up to six different kinds of medicine each day.

He currently has a county discount card, but he does not think it is enough for him and his wife.

"We get maybe $10 off of a $60 prescription, but this sounds like it would do a lot more," he said.

Elrod and his wife are eligible for the card because while they have medical coverage, they are still required to pay full price for all of the latter's arthritis drugs.

"Medicare won't cover a penny of it," Elrod said.

The discount card will also be helpful to cancer patients and others who require expensive drugs that do not have generic brands.

"For some people, it's a toss up between whether they buy their medicine or buy their food," said Sue Loy, an office manager at a local urologist office. "In a way, elderly people weren't always taken care of ... I think this is a really good thing."

To apply for a discount card or to learn more, call 1-866-341-8894 or visit www.floridadiscountdrugcard.com.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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