Maine Rx Card Media Center
Maine Rx Card, Powered by United Networks of America is a Proud Partner of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital
United Networks of America continues its support of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital through the Maine Rx Card program.
Each time a prescription is processed using the Maine Rx Card, a donation is made to The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. Since 2015, the United Networks of America partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised over $2.4 million dollars for local children’s hospitals. Of this, $4,269 has been raised for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.
Members of the Maine Rx Card team recently visited the hospital for a tour and check presentation. We’re grateful for the continued support and look forward to growing this partnership in years to come!
The Maine Rx Card is a free, statewide prescription discount drug card that offers savings on both generic and brand medications.
ABOUT UNITED NETWORKS OF AMERICA
United Networks of America is one of the largest providers of value added managed care products and services in the United States. Since 1993, United Networks of America has continued to grow its network to more than 240,000 participating providers serving more than 120.1 million members across the United States of America, Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands. The diverse membership base is a testament to the versatility and value of those networks. United Networks of America clients include TPA’s, insurance companies, associations, universities, federal and state governments, school systems, large employers, among others. Each year, United Networks of America programs continue to receive the highest rankings in the country among value added programs. For more information on United Networks of America please click here
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Ad: Pharmacy Times (May 2016)
A Children's Miracle Network Hospitals ad was featured in Pharmacy Times (May 2016 Issue). A donation will be made to your local Children's Miracle Network Hospital each time a prescription is processed through the Rx Assistance Program.
Free Rx drug card promises Mainers healthy discounts
A free pharmacy discount card officially launched in Maine on Tuesday promises consumers steep discounts on prescription drugs.
The Maine Rx Card aims to help both uninsured and insured residents nab savings averaging 30 percent on prescription medications at local pharmacies. The card, free and open to all regardless of age or income, offers perks, but one expert in the field advises consumers to approach such cards with a healthy dose of skepticism.
The Maine Rx Card has been available in Maine for two years, but the program is just now stepping up efforts to get the word out by partnering with the Maine Medical Association, said Alix Cousins of Maine Rx Card. The program's website boasts savings of up to 75 percent at more than 56,000 pharmacies nationwide, including CVS, Hannaford, Target, Walgreens and many others.
What's the catch?
"There is no catch," Cousins said. "It's actually funded through the participation of pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies. That's why it's available free to the public. It's not funded by taxpayer dollars, there's no applications or restrictions, anyone can use it."
Like the many other drug discount cards on the market, the Maine Rx Card is backed by a company known as a "pharmacy benefits manager" that negotiates discounts with participating pharmacies. The discounts can vary from medication to medication.
Pharmacy benefits managers enlist other organizations to market their card. For Maine Rx Card, that's United Networks of America, a Louisiana company operating similar programs in all 50 states, and the Maine Medical Association, which represents physicians and medical students.
The pharmacy benefits manager behind Maine Rx Card, Milwaukee-based Restat, stands out for its pledge not to sell consumers' information to marketers, Cousins said."If someone picks up another card that they get in the mail and it's not a Maine Rx Card, chances are their personal information is going to be sold to solicitors," she said.
The Maine Rx Card keeps transaction fees lower by running a web-based business free of brick-and-mortar overhead costs, Cousins said. The Maine Medical Association is compensated for its work marketing the card, she said.
"With this free program, patients without insurance, those carrying a high deductible, or anyone paying full price for a prescription will no longer have to pay the highest price for their medication," Gordon Smith, Maine Medical Association executive vice president, said in a press release announcing the card's launch. "We recommend that these patients acquire the card and start receiving savings immediately."
The Maine Rx Card is not health insurance or related to national health care reform, Cousins noted. It's also not affiliated with state government, unlike a similar-sounding program called Maine Rx Plus sponsored by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
Maine residents can obtain a free card, search drug pricing and locate participating pharmacies by visiting www.MaineRxCard.com. The cards also will be available at health centers, hospitals, clinics and other sites being set up across the state. Consumers may also call Maine Rx Card at 504-5370.