Gov. Rod Blagojevich awarded two Evanston residents the first membership cards for Illinois’ new drug discount plan before an audience of more than 100 senior citizens Thursday at the Levy Senior Center.
Myrtle Wangerin and Mary Friedl, both members of Evanston’s Commission on Aging, received membership cards for the Illinois Rx Buying Club — a new drug discount initiative that could save seniors up to 20 percent on any prescription medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
“I spend a lot of money on prescription drugs and I hope the plan will help me cover the costs,” said Friedl, whose disability qualifies her for the program. “I am hoping that it will help me and other people as well.”
The program, the first of its kind in the country, is available to anyone who is disabled or 65 and older for a yearly administrative fee of $25. Unlike other drug discount programs, the Buying Club has no income requirements, making it available to seniors across the economic spectrum.
“This is the perfect thing for people who are not at poverty’s door and have no other coverage,” said Nikki Smith, director of communications for the Illinois Department on Aging. “This will make a significant difference to people who are paying hundreds of dollars a month for their drugs.”
Blagojevich characterized the initiative as part of his strategy to restructure state government to better serve the people. He said the program will combine the purchasing power of Illinois seniors by enabling the state to negotiate with drug companies and buy in bulk to achieve the lowest rates available.
Because the federal government is prohibited by law from negotiating for discounts with drug companies, a program like the Buying Club only could be organized at the state level.
“We will marshal and pool the purchasing power of seniors and we will negotiate with those big, powerful pharmaceutical companies to bring the cost of drugs down,” Blagojevich said. “We will fight the good fight and we won’t let you down.”
The Buying Club, which took effect Jan. 1, absorbed 46,000 seniors from existing drug discount plans. Open registration for the plan began Jan. 1, and an additional 1,000 seniors had signed up as of Thursday, according to Illinois Department on Aging Director Charles Johnson.
“This is the Sam’s Club of drugs,” Johnson said. “We’re purchasing in bulk and we think that people will pay the $25 and join the program.”
Support for the discount club seemed high, as the governor was interrupted several times with applause as he described the initiative. Evanston resident Sam Sibley, 62, said the plan “makes so much sense.”
“It seems so obvious that the state should use its buying power to get drugs at a lower cost,” he said. “It’ll help everybody.”
“There was definite feeling that this was a fine program,” said Wangerin, the recipient of one of the first membership cards. “I certainly feel that this plan can buy in bulk and I don’t know why it hasn’t been tried in other states.”
