Palatine Township To Offer Free Prescription Cards

Palatine Township will begin offering a discount prescription drug card, officials announced during a press conference Thursday.

The card, which is free, will be available at the Palatine Township offices, the Palatine Senior Center and the Palatine Opportunity Center as well as local drug stores and pharmacies.

“We saw an opportunity to help the people of our community,” Palatine Township Supervisor Linda L. Fleming said. “That is our main goal. And we are able to do it at no cost to our residents.”

The Coast2Coast RX card will be distributed by the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association. The association has partnered with all of the major pharmacy chains including Walgreens, Osco, CVS, Rite Aid, Dominicks, Walmart, Target and Costco. The card can be used at any participating pharmacy across the country. There is no enrollment fee and all township and non-township residents regardless of age or income are eligible.

“This is primarily for people without health insurance,” Fleming said. “But people with health insurance may also find the cards useful because the discounts available through these cards may be greater than what they get through their insurance.”

Palatine Township became the 22nd township in Cook, DuPage and Lake County to sign up for the card. Debby Karton, who is the benefits coordinator for IPPFA, the distributor of the card, said the organization has had great success where it has been implemented.

“People everywhere are very excited about it,” Karton said. “It gives area residents a way to save money on drugs as well as other services and gives them more money for other things they need.”

Niles Township was the first area township to sign up for the card.

Since last October, Niles has recorded more than 7,300 prescriptions with a savings of more than $216,000 to its residents.

Should Palatine Township reach that level, the Township would be eligible for a 50-cent per prescription royalty to be paid to the Township by IPPFA. That money would then be used in the Township’s Needy Family Fund.  

There are also additional services available such as lab and imaging tests, some dental and prescriptions for pets may also be available.

The application card is printed in English and Spanish. However, the website has information in 90 languages. For more information, go to www.coast2coastrx.com.