COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGIES

Transcription

1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGIES

2 Program Overview & Strategies Table of Contents Program Overview & Strategies... 2,3 Best Practices... 4 Promotional Materials... 5 Sample Promotional Materials... 6,7 Frequently Asked Questions... 8,9,10 Resident Program Announcement Additional Communication Tools...12 Key Contacts...12 Program template materials are available at Select Counties to access materials. The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program is just one of the advantages of NACo membership. The program meets county objectives to provide additional services to assist county residents who are struggling financially without impacting county budgets. This free program provides a number of benefits to participants, including: Average savings of 24 percent More than 60,000 participating pharmacies Savings on specialty medications No enrollment fees No age requirements No income requirements Family coverage with just one card Pet coverage Unlimited use Access to to access the program tools, such as pharmacy locator, and use the Print an ID card function. Strategies The key to encouraging residents to participate is making them aware of the program and its benefits. Throughout these pages, we are providing you with useful tools that will help do this. The promotional strategies and tactics provided are suggestions to consider when developing a plan to introduce the program to the county residents. Media/Public Relations: Securing media coverage for the program is an effective way to communicate the benefits of the program. In the program media strategies provided to counties, are a number of media and public relations tools, such as press material templates, and scripts for radio public service announcements. Community Services & County Events: Promote and distribute NACo prescription discount cards through existing community outreach services. Local events, such as town hall meetings, county fairs or health fairs, are good opportunities to promote the program and distribute NACo prescription discount cards to your residents who are uninsured, underinsured or take prescriptions that are not covered by their insurance. A PowerPoint presentation is also available for use at these events.

3 County Website: Promoting the NACo Prescription Discount Card Program on the county website is another effective way to communicate with residents. The website provides easy access for residents to print a NACo prescription discount card and use the Internet tools that support the program. A web banner ad and draft web content can be provided with a link from the county website to the program website ( Here, residents can print an ID card and access program tools. Please submit any web content to NACo and CVS Caremark for approval prior to use. Website Banner Ads: Consider working with community service and other local organizations to place banner advertisements on their websites. These may link to the county s web page for the program or to the main program participant website ( Radio/TV: Counties are encouraged to use local television and radio advertising to communicate to residents. Often, advertising for this program qualifies as a public service announcement, which drastically reduces or eliminates any advertising costs. Radio public service announcement scripts are included in the media strategies available to counties. Program template materials are available at Select Counties to access materials. Nine out of ten pharmacies nationwide participate in the program

4 Best Practices Resident awareness is the key to ensure the success of the NACo Prescription Discount Card Program. Many counties around the country have successfully launched this program, so we are providing you with some of their best practices focused on notifying residents about the program. Mailings Communicating directly with county residents can be done by including an ID card and/or program information in county mailings that are already scheduled. These could include: Water bills Tax statements Newsletters Any other related mailings Distribution Counties can also make program information and cards directly available to key populations by distributing at suggested organizations/locations: Big Brothers/Big Sisters Boys & Girls Clubs Charity organizations Clinics/hospitals Colleges Convenience stores County agency buildings (tax collector, assessor, permits, etc.) County facilities Courthouses Daycare centers Department of Motor Vehicles Employee fairs Grocery stores Health associations Jails and detention centers Major athletic events Pharmacies Physician offices Religious/ethnic centers Senior centers Social service agencies Social service centers YMCA

5 Promotional Materials To make promoting the NACo Prescription Discount Card Program easier, a number of pre-approved promotional materials are available. If additional material is developed or revisions are made to pre-approved material, the material must be sent to NACo and CVS Caremark for approval prior to use. Materials include: Promotional Poster: The 11x17 posters are customized with the county name and seal to be posted around the community to raise awareness of the program. Available in English and Spanish. See page 6. Display Stands: These stands hold the ID cards/brochure at county distribution locations. Available in English and Spanish. See page 6. ID Cards: The cards, which are customized for your county, are delivered to your county. Available in English and Spanish. See page 7. Bill Insert ID Card: This ID card insert can be included in resident direct mail communications, such as a property tax bill. The customized inserts are designed to be lightweight to have minimal, if any, effect on postage. See page 7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): FAQs are provided to answer a variety of program questions your residents may have. Topics covered include general questions, pricing and pharmacy questions, and questions on specialty pharmacy. Available in English and Spanish. See page 8. Resident Program Announcement: Pre-approved copy designed to promote the program to county residents by letter, , newsletters, etc., is also included in the marketing materials. Available in English and Spanish. See page 11.

6 Sample Promotional Materials Use the material on the following pages to help you promote and raise awareness of the NACo Prescription Discount Card Program. Promotional Posters Display Stands

7 ID Cards The program can be used anytime a prescription is not covered by insurance. Bill Insert

8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) GENERAL QUESTIONS How much does the program cost? Your prescription discount card is provided to you free of charge by the county. Does everyone in my family need an individual card? No. Everyone in the family may use the same card if desired. Can I use this card to get discounts on my pet s medication(s)? Yes, if your pet has been prescribed a medication that is also used to treat a human condition, you may receive a discount on the medication by taking the prescription to a participating retail pharmacy. I just received my card. Can I use it right away? Yes, just use your card to start saving immediately. Present your prescription discount card at a participating retail pharmacy when you fill or refill your prescriptions. I ve lost my card. How can I get a replacement? Please visit to print a live ID card or call toll-free Can I use my card to get discounts on over-the-counter products and non-prescription medications? Not usually. However, discounts are available for many diabetic supplies. How is this prescription discount program different from traditional prescription insurance? This is not insurance; it is a prescription discount program. The card provides immediate discounts at the pharmacy. Upon presenting your card to the pharmacist, you will pay the lower of a discounted price or the pharmacy s regular retail price. There are no claim forms to fill out and no limit to the number of times you can use the card. These discounts are available only at participating retail pharmacies. Can I use my prescription discount card with my current insurance benefit to reduce my costs? Your card cannot be used in conjunction with other insurance. However, you are able to use your card to purchase prescriptions that are not covered by these plans. Can I still use my prescription discount card if I sign up for a Medicare prescription plan? Yes, you can use your prescription discount card anytime you need to purchase a prescription that is not covered by your Medicare prescription plan or any other insurance.

9 Should I use my prescription discount card during my deductible and coverage gap periods for covered medications? No. Only use your prescription discount card to purchase non-covered medications. Can I use my prescription discount card in addition to my Medicare prescription plan and get additional discounts? No. You need to present either your Medicare prescription plan card or your prescription discount card. Only use your prescription discount card when purchasing medications not covered by your Medicare prescription plan. I m not going to sign up for a Medicare prescription plan. Can I still use my prescription discount card? Yes, you can continue to use your prescription discount card just as you do today. PHARMACY AND PRICING QUESTIONS Which pharmacies accept the card? The prescription discount card is accepted at more than 60,000 retail pharmacies nationwide, including many of the leading chains. Ask your local pharmacy if they participate, visit and search using the Locate a Pharmacy (use the fourth link under Quick Links ) function or call toll-free to find out if a specific pharmacy participates in the program. How much will I save? While savings on each prescription may vary, you can save an average of 24% off of the pharmacy s regular retail prices for prescriptions. In addition, you may save even more by choosing from our list of select medications. This list is comprised of products offering additional savings. Will I always receive the lowest price? Yes. You will receive the best price available to you through this program at the pharmacy. On occasion, pharmacies will price a particular medication lower than the discount rate provided by the card. If that occurs, you will receive the lower price. Can I find out the discounted price of my prescriptions before going to the pharmacy? Because prices can vary by location, only the actual pharmacy can tell you the exact price of the prescription. However, you can look up an estimated price for medications at or call toll-free Why did the price of my prescription change since the last time I purchased the prescription? Drug prices are different from pharmacy to pharmacy. Even chains have different prices in their stores depending on the population they are servicing. Additionally, manufacturers drug prices change periodically.

10 The brochure says I can save an average of 24% on my prescription medication. Will I save 24% on all my medications? Because a pharmacy s retail price or usual and customary charge can differ greatly by pharmacy, your exact percentage of savings may vary depending on the prescription. Do I have to choose between my prescription discount card and a retail pharmacy flat rate generic pricing plan? No, always present your prescription discount card at a participating pharmacy so you will receive the lowest price available from the pharmacy for that prescription medicine on that day. You will receive the fl at rate price when applicable and the prescription discount card discounted price when it is lower. Average savings of 24% Should I still present my prescription discount card at a retail pharmacy when buying generic medicine listed on a flat rate generic pricing plan? Yes, always present your prescription discount card when buying prescriptions not covered by a prescription drug benefit plan. For medicine on a generic pricing list, you will pay either the fl at rate or the prescription discount card price, whichever is lower. If I show my prescription discount card, can I get an additional discount off a generic medicine listed on the flat rate pricing plan? No, when presenting your prescription discount card, you will receive either the pharmacy s regular price for the prescription medicine or the prescription discount card discounted price, whichever is lower. If the fl at rate price for select generics is lower than the prescription discount card price, you will pay the fl at rate. With the prescription discount card, you will receive the best price available for your prescription medicine on that day from that pharmacy. ABOUT SPECIALTY PHARMACY What is specialty pharmacy and what kinds of services do they offer? Specialty pharmacy offers delivery of injectable and select oral specialty medication and supplies to the location of your choice. Services include delivery notification and refill reminder calls to help you stay on your treatment plan. You ll also receive expert care services including counseling, follow-up care calls, informative disease-related materials, and access to health experts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. What drugs are offered through specialty pharmacy? Medications for a variety of chronic conditions including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, infertility, immunologic disorders, Crohn s disease, Gaucher disease, pulmonary hypertension, Fabry disease, MPS 1, blood dyscrasia, growth hormone deficiency, respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis C and more are available through specialty pharmacy.

11 Resident Program Announcement Introducing the [insert county name] Prescription Discount Card FREE to County Residents! Americans are paying more for prescriptions than ever before. Without prescription coverage, staying healthy can come at a high price. With the [insert county name] Prescription Discount Card Program provided to you in a joint effort with the National Association of Counties (NACo), you can save money on many of your prescription purchases! Any county resident without prescription coverage can use this program. Even if you have prescription insurance coverage, you may still benefit from the discount card since it may save you money on prescriptions your existing plan does not cover. Everyone is eligible! No income requirements No age requirements Unlimited use for the whole family Pets are covered for medications that also treat human conditions The [insert county name] Prescription Discount Card Program is: Valuable. Save an average of 24% off the pharmacy s regular price on all commonly prescribed prescriptions. Savings are also available on high-tech and injectable medications through our specialty pharmacy. Easy. There are no claim forms to fill out and no annual fee to pay. Convenient. More than 60,000 participating pharmacies nationwide, including locations right here in the county! To print an ID card that can be used immediately at a participating pharmacy, locate a pharmacy or access other program tools, visit or for more information call toll-free Get your card and start saving today! Operated by CVS Caremark. This is NOT insurance. Discounts are only available at participating pharmacies.

12 Key Contacts NACo Contacts: Andrew S. Goldschmidt, CAE, MBA Director, Membership Marketing Phone: Ilene Manster Membership Coordinator Phone: Program template materials are available at Select Counties to access materials. Smartphone users scan code to access the NACo website. CVS Caremark Contact: Ralph Frissore Account Advocate Phone: Operated by CVS Caremark. This is NOT insurance. Discounts are only available at participating pharmacies NC