Virginia Drug Card Media Center

A new prescription drug card coming out April 16 for Virginia residents has helped residents in other states save an average of 32 percent on their doctor-prescribed medicines.

The free card is available to any state resident, regardless of age or income. It's provided through the United Networks of America, a Louisiana-based company that offers identical drug-card programs in 25 states, said Francesco Ciccone, program director for the Virginia Drug Card.

"The discount is given at the pharmacy so the pharmacy takes less of the profit from the prescription being sold and the pharmaceutical company gives money back to the pharmacy," Ciccone said.

Any Virginia resident can go online to virginiadrugcard.com to download a card. Savings can be as high as 75 percent on some drugs, according to United Networks of America.

The program targets the uninsured and the underinsured, Ciccone said.

Those who have health insurance but no prescription benefits - which is common in health savings accounts and high-deductible health-care plans - may also benefit, Ciccone said.

And Medicare Part D users can use it if their prescriptions are not covered by their plan or if they exceed the benefit amount allotted to them and must pay out of pocket, he said.

A complete list of prescriptions and discounted prices can be found online at virginiadrugcard.com by clicking the "medication pricing" link. There's also a pharmacy locater that shows 1,125 participating pharmacies across the state.

Residents can call 1-877-321-6755 to get a card by mail. Callers can request a Virginia Drug Card by leaving a message with their name and mailing address, Ciccone said.