TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to research prescription savings programs and report back to the City Council in 45 days with recommendations on creating a local prescription drug savings program for all residents of Long Beach.
DISCUSSION
The cost of prescription drugs in the United States has been growing exponentially year after year. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the costs of prescription drugs are increasing three times the rate of inflation. Seniors, and others on fixed incomes, are forced to spend a larger and larger percentage of their montly income on drugs, which in many cases are for life-threating illnesses.
The City of Baltimore, in an attempt to address the burden of the ever-increasing costs of prescription drugs, partnered with ScriptSave to offer all residents a prescription discount card. Cardholders of ScriptSave, and other discount prescription services such as Caremark, are able to save 20% to 50% on prescriptions. There is no cost to the cardholder for participation and no cost to the City.
There are 12 million ScriptSave cardholders nationwide and Carmark partners with more than 2000 organizations to provide discounts to cardholders including government agencies, unions and insurance companies. Each organization has more than 50,000 participating pharmacies throughout California.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Patrick O'Donnell, 4th District Councilmember