Print this pageAt the request of Governor Gregoire, the 2005 legislature passed a law creating the Prescription Drug Purchasing Consortium to make prescription drugs more affordable to Washington residents by pooling the buying power of state agencies, local government, businesses, labor organizations and uninsured or underinsured consumers. The program will be administered by the Washington State Health Care Authority.
Note: The Washington State Prescription Drug Purchasing Consortium is a different program than the new federal Medicare Part D that also became available January 1, 2006. Individuals can participate in both programs and the consortium may provide discounts on medications that are not covered by the new Medicare benefit, or other prescription coverage.
Who can join?
It will be open to the public, local government entities, businesses and labor organizations.
Who can benefit?
Washington residents who have no prescription drug insurance, as well as those who have prescription drug insurance, but whose insurance plans do not cover the particular drugs they need. There are no income or other eligibility requirements.
What will it offer?
The consortium will offer a comprehensive list of prescription drugs. Although the final structure of the consortium has not been established, the Health Care Authority is developing the program with the following principles in mind:
- Affordability: low membership fees provide access to discounts ranging from 15 to 25 percent on prescription purchases.
- Accessibility: easy to use enrollment procedures to provide access to prescription drug discounts from local retail pharmacies, or through the convenience of mail order delivery.
- Flexibility: continue to develop additional options to be offered to consortium participants. Use your local Express Scripts participating retail pharmacy, or use Express Scripts mail order service.
