Board hears proposal from ProAct for discount pharmacy cards for all Perry County residents

Perry County residents may soon receive a discount prescription drug card in the mail which will save them up to 50 percent on drug costs at participating pharmacies. The discount is good only for drugs not covered by insurance coverage.

Karin M. Eckdahl of ProAct said that it takes about a 30 days to get the cards in the mail after the board signs a service agreement with ProAct.

ProAct is not insurance. It is a full-service pharmacy benefit management company. ProAct works with local pharmacies to get discount drug prices for card holders. There is no cost to the card holder and no cost to Perry County.

Eckdahl said ProAct asks county governments to enter an agreement with them to legitimize the cards in the eyes of residents.

"Without the seal of the county on it," Eckdahl said. "A lot of people think it's junk and throw it away."

Madison, St. Clair, Tazewell and Fulton Counties in Illinois have signed agreements with ProAct.

Commissioner Sam Robb said that he heard favorable reports about the discount cards at a recent inter-governmental meeting.

The card offers discount medications for people and pets and savings on eye, hearing and dental care not covered by insurance.

Eckdahl said that if an agreement is signed by Perry County, ProAct will use a third party to compile the addresses of all Perry County residents and mail cards to them.

The county is asked to do nothing other than send a press release to local papers alerting residents that the cards are in the mail.

If a service agreement is signed, ProAct will contact all pharmacies in Perry County and offer them a contract. ProAct makes their money via transaction fees.

Eckdahl said that most pharmacies join the program because it increases their business. However, they are under no obligation to do so. The ProAct program works only with brick-and-mortar stores. The cards are not for use with mail-order pharmacies.

ProAct has agreements with more than 100 counties across the country. The cards are good at any participating pharmacy in the United States.

The board may choose to act at the next regular meeting on May 1.

In other business the board:

• passed a resolution approving an engineering agreement with Rhutasel and Associates Inc. to design shoulder renovations on Pyatt-Cutler Road. County Engineer Brian Otten said the design should take about six months and the plans will be implemented as funds allow. The plan is to replace the gravel shoulders on the curves of Pyatt-Cutler Road with hard surfaces marked with rumble strips. Hard surfaces will be safer for motorists and will stop the erosion problems in those areas. Cost of the engineering is $16,500 and will be paid from motor fuel tax funds.

• heard from Otten that Harsy Road is now closed; there were no objections at the closure hearing. A second closure hearing for Hibiscus Road will be held at 10 a.m. on May 6. The railroad wants to close the crossing where an accident occurred several years ago. There were no objections and the first closure hearing.

• passed a resolution reassigning five properties to their original owners. The original owners have paid the back taxes on the properties which had been held by the county's tax agent.

• passed a resolution granting raffle licenses for Wyatt Eisenhauer Memorial Fund, American Cancer Society and Pinckneyville Lions Club.

• passed a resolution adopting the Perry County Emergency Operations plan.