Colorado Drug Card Media Center

(Colorado Springs, CO) – It's one prescription drug discount card that anyone can use, whether they have insurance, or not. However, a Target 13 Investigation revealed that some Colorado pharmacists don't even know about it.

The Colorado Drug Card is a card that anyone can use to get a discount on prescriptions. Consumers don't even need to possess the card, they just need to ask for the card to be applied when the pick up their prescriptions.

Some consumers could needlessly be paying more, simply because they aren't asking the right questions. And, some pharmacists aren't telling them otherwise.

KRDO NEWSCHANNEL 13 investigated and went to one big box pharmacy in Colorado Springs. NEWSCHANNEL 13 asked the pharmacist if the knew about the Colorado Drug Card.

"Actually, I don't," said the pharmacist. "I'm not familiar with that one."

NEWSCHANNEL 13 called several other Colorado stores in that same chain and got similar responses. We asked that pharmacist about the card again later during the interview. "I actually have to look that up," he said. "Can I look that up real quick?" he asked.

After searching his computer for several minutes, the pharmacist turned around and said, "We do (accept the card)."

The Colorado Drugs Card website lists many participating retailers. That particular big box pharmacy was listed on the website.

KRDO NEWSCHANNEL 13 also talked to pharmacists at King Soopers and Walmart. They knew exactly what the Colorado Drug Card was.

"Sometimes I have seen that the Colorado plan has been lower than the co-pays," said Walmart Pharmacy Manager Kim Rahalewich. "Sometimes I have seen that they only save like a couple of cents. Sometimes I've seen a great savings."

The discounts can vary from drug to drug.

"Anyone is eligible," said King Soopers Director of Pharmacy Marla Frawner. "We can get a card for anyone."

There are other cards that will also help whittle down costs: The El Paso County Free Prescription Drug Card and the Pueblo County Discount Card

KRDO NEWSCHANNEL 13 asked the pharmacist who didn't know about the Colorado Drug Card to look up the prices on some commonly prescribed drugs. He found that one generic drug used to treat seizures was listed at $109.99. When he used the El Paso County Discount Card, the cost came to $47.40. When he applied the Colorado Drug Card, it rang up at $23.27.

He admitted that was a pretty significant difference.

Given that example, KRDO NEWSCHANNEL 13 asked that pharmacist if he might start looking up the Colorado Drug Card price for some consumers.

"Yeah," he said. "Knowing that we can help people, if you know especially if they remind us. Sometimes we get busy and don't always remember to do that."

To be clear, King Soopers and Walmart did accept the card during this Target 13 probe. Most of them even volunteered the card information before they were asked about it.

After this Target 13 investigation, KRDO NEWSCHANNEL 13 called the other big box pharmacies back. Now they do accept the Colorado Drug Card.