By Shaley Sanders
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Several East Texans have received a pharmacy discount card in the mail advertising big savings on prescriptions. However, is it too good to be true? East Texas News visited with local pharmacists to find out.
Liz Reece, a Lufkin resident, was one of hundreds of East Texans who received this pharmacy discount card in the mail. It advertised prescription savings up to 75 percent.
"I actually just saved them because I work with a lot of senior citizens at the centers and things," Reece said. "A lot of times I will go through those and just check them out you know, see if they're a good card, real savings for someone."
East Texas News spoke with David Davis, a pharmacist at Goods' Medicine Chest in Tyler, to see if the cards are legit.
"It's not a scam; it does work." Davis said.
But, is it too good to be true?
"It's not giving the deep discounts that it advertises," Davis said. "It does supply a small discount, but in most cases your local pharmacy's cash prices are equal to or lower than what that discounted price would be."
East Texas' News Shaley Sanders ran the card on a generic birth control pill called mononessa. As it turned out, there was no discount on that particular prescription for the customer. However, it did charge the pharmacy a processing fee and cut into their profit.
"Someone is paying for it somewhere, and in this case it's your local business to use those cards."
Because of this, several locally owned pharmacies will not accept the cards. However, some larger chains like Target, CVS, and Walgreens do. But even then, it could be invading your privacy.
"They will give out your purchasing habits to other companies and stimulating advertising from those companies," Davis said.
If you decide to use the card, weigh the risks and double check with your pharmacy to see if they can offer you a better deal
For more information, visit this link: http://rxreliefcard.com/how-does-the-card-work.aspx
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