By Krista Duhon

news@joplinglobe.com

MIAMI, Okla. — The Ottawa County commissioners have agreed to participate in a nationwide program that could reduce prescription drug costs for some county residents.

Through its membership in the National Association of Counties, Ottawa County will soon be able to make prescription discount cards available to residents in its jurisdiction, said commission Chairman John Clarke.

There is no cost to Ottawa County, or to its residents, to participate in the program, said Jim Philipps, spokesman for the association. The agreement, good for three years, would add the county to the association’s contract with CVS/Caremark, which negotiates discounts on prescription drugs with participating pharmacies and chains, according to Philipps. Participating chains include Wal-Mart, Walgreens and the CVS/Caremark chains.

Clarke said at a recent commission meeting that he is interested in anything that can reduce prescription costs for Ottawa County residents — especially in a time when many people are feeling the pinch of a state and national economic downturn.

According to the association, the prescription drug program has average savings of 23.9 percent off the retail price a consumer would otherwise pay at participating pharmacies. More than 1,200 counties have joined the program, which works with 59,000 pharmacies around the country.

Barton and Jasper counties in Missouri participate in the program.

There are no income qualifications, according to Philipps. The biggest benefit will go to those who have no insurance or to those who have medications that fall outside their insurance provider’s coverage, said Clarke.

Philipps recommended that every household in participating counties get a card.

Ilene Manster, membership coordinator for the association, said Monday that six pharmacies in Ottawa County participate in the program: Mays Drug, the Northeast Tribal Health Center, Osborn Drugs, Walgreens, Wal-Mart and Ole Miners Pharmacy.

Ottawa County officials said they hope to have the program in place by Dec. 1, but they are still ironing out final details.

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