San Diego County’s Discount Prescription Card, Coast2Coast Rx, Saves Participating Residents $11.5 Million By Second Anniversary

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors announced today that its free discount prescription card, Coast2Coast Rx, has saved residents who use the program more than $11.5 million by its two-year anniversary. Since its launch in June 2011, 37,759 participants have used the card to fill 223,212 prescriptions with an average savings to date of about 60 percent in San Diego County.

According to Supervisor Ron Roberts, San Diego County’s Coast2Coast Rx card has proven to be an important resource. It saves constituents up to 75 percent on prescription drugs, provides discounts on other health care services and helps to fund public health programs through the $1.35 payment generated each time a prescription is filled using the card.

“San Diego County is on track to meet the projected two year total amount of $295,000 in available revenue to support the County’s Live Well, San Diego initiative, a 10-year plan for healthy, safe and thriving communities,” stated Supervisor Roberts. 

To date, these funds are being used to assist with the distribution, production and translation of educational and promotional health materials and referral resources targeted at under-insured and uninsured San Diego County residents for numerous programs including: 3-4-50 and 5-2-1-0. The educational initiatives are aimed at specific demographics; 3-4-50 attempts to change three behaviors—poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and tobacco use, which lead to four diseases that result in more than 50 percent of all deaths in San Diego County. They are the risk factors for heart disease, pulmonary disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The 5-2-1-0 campaign promotes four practices for diet and exercise that can be adopted daily by children and parents to improve overall health and avoid obesity.

Revenue is also supporting Body Mass Index (BMI) Measurement Toolkits for 44 San Diego County School Districts, which will serve as an evidence-based strategy for addressing obesity in children; a nicotine media campaign in the Central Region; and enhanced mapping of Central Region health and social services, allowing 2-1-1 San Diego to provide better information and referral services to disadvantaged communities.

“The Board of Supervisors is committed to providing quality services that are fiscally responsible—Coast2Coast Rx is such a program as demonstrated by its substantial and tangible impact in San Diego County in two short years,” said Supervisor Greg Cox, chairman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “We believe the results will continue to grow as more residents learn about this free resource and the discounts available on prescriptions and other important health care services.”

No membership requirements or enrollment paperwork are needed for participation, and all consumers are eligible to use San Diego County’s Coast2Coast Rx card regardless of age, income or health status. Not only can the program be a significant cost-saver for consumers who have limited or no insurance coverage, it can also reduce costs of prescriptions not covered under insurance plans or that carry high deductibles. In some cases the card can be used by senior citizens to reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of the Medicare Part D “donut hole.”  Cardholders can also utilize partner programs for savings on diabetes supplies, hearing, vision and dental care, veterinary services and even pet prescriptions.

San Diego County residents can download and print their free card at http://www.coast2coastrx.com/sd/ as well as find information on the 2-1-1 San Diego website. It is valid for use by all family members immediately, with no expiration date. Additionally, Coast2Coast Rx is expanding its work with public departments and local nonprofit agencies to increase use of the card. Any organization that has constituents who can benefit from the free program is encouraged to request a supply of cards. Consumers and organizations alike are encouraged to stay up to date on Coast2Coast Rx and healthcare news by following Coast2Coast Rx on Facebook and Twitter.

About Coast2Coast Rx Card

The mission of the Coast2Coast Rx Card is to provide a universe of prescription savings options while improving health outcomes. The Coast2Coast Rx Card has provided millions of dollars in savings on prescription drugs for its program members. A product of Financial Marketing Concepts, Inc., a Florida corporation (“FMC”), that is a leader in the supplemental benefits field, the Coast2Coast Rx Card was developed as a result of the belief that the cost of products and services has risen so drastically that a need has arisen among many families to supplement these costs with benefit programs and prescription cards. For more information please visit http://www.coast2coastrx.com/.