BREMERTON — Every dollar patients spend on prescription drugs to treat heart disease and diabetes saves them $3 to $10 on other medical services, according to a 2011 Health Affairs study cited by United Way of Kitsap County and FamilyWize, two organizations that are partnering to help families stay healthy.

As of Dec. 31, the FamilyWize-United Way partnership with local pharmacies has saved people in this area more than $183,000 on everyday prescription costs for conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and many others, plus an additional $425,000 savings on other medical services specifically related to heart disease and diabetes such as doctor’s office visits, hospitalizations and surgeries.

“Lowering the cost of prescription drugs allows more people to get the medicine they need when they need it,” said Executive Director David Foote of United Way of Kitsap County. “The amount patients save on the cost of complications, disease progression and additional health related expenses are far greater than just the savings on the medicine. This program impacts health and also financial stability, two building blocks of advancing the common good.

“That’s why we’ve partnered with FamilyWize to distribute free prescription discount cards to everyone in our area. It’s wonderful that almost every local pharmacy participates in this program that helps our community so much.”Savings on medications can be as much as 75 percent with the free FamilyWize prescription discount card. Nationwide, more than 5 million people have been helped and more than $448 million has been saved.”

The card requires no enrollment or activation. Consumers just give the card to their pharmacists every time a prescription is needed and discounts are automatically applied.

“The cards can be used by everyone in the community, not just people without insurance,” Foote said. “They can even be used by people with insurance who have high deductibles or take medicine not covered by their plan or by people with Medicaid or Medicare when their prescription isn’t covered.

People can call United Way of Kitsap County at 360-377-8505, or visit with them at 645 4th St., Bremerton to get a card, text “family” to 700700 for a text version of the card, or visit www.FamilyWize.org to print a card and compare discounted drug prices at the different participating pharmacies.

BREMERTON — Every dollar patients spend on prescription drugs to treat heart disease and diabetes saves them $3 to $10 on other medical services, according to a 2011 Health Affairs study cited by United Way of Kitsap County and FamilyWize, two organizations that are partnering to help families stay healthy.

As of Dec. 31, the FamilyWize-United Way partnership with local pharmacies has saved people in this area more than $183,000 on everyday prescription costs for conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and many others, plus an additional $425,000 savings on other medical services specifically related to heart disease and diabetes such as doctor’s office visits, hospitalizations and surgeries.

“Lowering the cost of prescription drugs allows more people to get the medicine they need when they need it,” said Executive Director David Foote of United Way of Kitsap County. “The amount patients save on the cost of complications, disease progression and additional health related expenses are far greater than just the savings on the medicine. This program impacts health and also financial stability, two building blocks of advancing the common good.

“That’s why we’ve partnered with FamilyWize to distribute free prescription discount cards to everyone in our area. It’s wonderful that almost every local pharmacy participates in this program that helps our community so much.”Savings on medications can be as much as 75 percent with the free FamilyWize prescription discount card. Nationwide, more than 5 million people have been helped and more than $448 million has been saved.”

The card requires no enrollment or activation. Consumers just give the card to their pharmacists every time a prescription is needed and discounts are automatically applied.

“The cards can be used by everyone in the community, not just people without insurance,” Foote said. “They can even be used by people with insurance who have high deductibles or take medicine not covered by their plan or by people with Medicaid or Medicare when their prescription isn’t covered.

People can call United Way of Kitsap County at 360-377-8505, or visit with them at 645 4th St., Bremerton to get a card, text “family” to 700700 for a text version of the card, or visit www.FamilyWize.org to print a card and compare discounted drug prices at the different participating pharmacies.