Guest Author - Bonnie Sayers

A Health Discount Card is not the same thing as Insurance. The same for Prescription Drug Coverage versus a Prescription Drug Discount Card. These are savings plans that offer discounts as you still need to pay the bill. Insurance will pay all or a portion of a bill with a provider within their network or a percentage if a PPO, plus you pay monthly premiums.

For these discount cards you pay for the service and then get a savings on the service, based on if the company contracted utilizes this discount offering. Think of this as something similar to a grocery store discount card. You still pay for your groceries and you pay for the paper to get coupons and then the card for the store gives you further discounts.

My Prescription drug coverage through my employer only covers a cream for my eczema once every forty-five days. I went with The Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) Prescription Savings Card for a 15% discount on my cost of the cream as I was not willing to wait an additional twenty days to clear up the skin on my face.

The Rite Aid Pharmacy already had the Script Save in their system so when I picked up the prescription I told them I wanted the price for the AAA Prescription Savings Card. They had to cancel the order and redo it with this card. I saved an additional four dollars with this card on my prescription. Also this prescription does not count in the forty-five day wait period through my insurance plan due to my paying the cost entirely, minus a discount card. It did count toward one of my refills.

To learn more about the AAA Prescription Savings Card contact 1-866-222-7283. This is part of your yearly membership with participating pharmacies. The card is clearly marked that this is not an Insurance plan and in more than one place.

list of participating pharmacies. This plan will give you 15% savings on brand name medications and an average of 35% on generic prescriptions. "Savings can also be applied to pet medications filled through a pharmacy." Discount cannot be combined with any other medical prescription coverage or discount program."

Script Save Pharmacy Search and drug price look up for members. The card I got from my union listed the group number that gives me access to the overview for home health care workers. The following explains this in detail:

" If you do not have health insurance, use your ScriptSave® card for any brand name or generic prescription you or a family member pays for out-of-pocket.

If you have health insurance coverage, use your ScriptSave® card for any prescriptions that are not covered by your insurance. Use it for additional savings on prescriptions for your entire family."

Script Save through AAHSA

"ScriptSave® offers a health information library with links to different health conditions or topics that may be of interest to you."

I recently cancelled the dental plan through my Union since it did not cover denture replacement. That gives me five dollars more in my paycheck each month. To cancel all I had to do was write a letter indicating I wanted to cancel and mail or drop off at my employer.

Dental Savings charges $11.35 per month with savings of 20-605 on services rendered. This is something I will be researching more to see if this is worth the monthly cost versus the actual savings. It helps to know what type of work you will need and then compare the prices to the cost associated and determine if this is the option for you.

Sav-Rx Prescription Services - " Each Sav-Rx prescription benefit plan offers substantial savings to our members whether they use our extensive nationwide pharmacy network, or our fast, easy to use mail order service" Through my Union we were offered supplemental insurance with American Income Life. For $24.95 per year with the Gold Program I could get discounts on a dental plan, nurse helpline, vitamins, dental and travel plan. This Sav-Rx was one of them offered through their basic program plan that was no cost to union members. This company was very pushy having a representative call and come to my home to explain benefits to me and how it was good for one year.

Recently I received another phone call from someone at American Income Life and I had to explain that I did not want anyone in my home to explain this as I already went through this a year ago. This person said that the benefits were still good.

Dental Plans - licensed Florida Discount Medical Plan Organization. Save from 20-60% on most dental services starting at $79.95 per year.

Dental Savings Plans - there is no 30-day waiting period, no check for pre-existing conditions with 25 plans to choose from. You start by entering your zipcode and then the plans in your area are shown to choose from. One of interest in my area is Aetna Dental Access, which is a nationwide dental discount program. The fees range from $99.95 for individuals and $149.95 for family (legal dependents).

The page is all organized with a listing of participating Dentists to the rigth and a chart showing the cost of various procedures and the savings for members. For example - full mouth x-rays cost 4109, the plan gives you a savigns of $33 for the final cost being $71.00.

I did a google search and could not find an actual website for this plan as it is available through the discount plans only. Here is a pdf document worth noting - Important Disclosure Information - Aetna Dental Access/Vital Savings by Aetna Participants

I found a great children's dental group at a mall over the summer and took my son for a cleaning and checkup this past week. We were there for 90 minutes while he received 18 x-rays, an exam and cleaning. Turns out we need to see an Orthodontist as it looks like my son needs braces. I will be looking into what his insurance covers and the expense and time involved in this type of procedure to see if there is a need for a dental savings plan as well for him.

HearUSA Hearing Care Network - formerly known as National Ear Care Plan has over 1,500 independent audiology and company-owned centers.

Care One Medical Plans - providing discount medical plans, savings on dental, vision, chiropractic, hearing, podiatry, prescription drugs, physician care, vitamin and nutritional supplements, hospital referral program, alternative health, massage therapy, acupuncture, naturopathy, 24 hour nurse helpline and patient advocacy program
for $14.95 per month.

Coast to Coat Vision Plan - you will save on eyewear and exams. " Members may nominate their own eye care professional to join the network." The site shows a chart with three major cities showing examples of the savings. There is no way to enroll through their site. This is one of the providers sponsored through American Income Life Insurance Company and their plans.

Vision Care Plan through Alliance Health Card. You can enroll through their site. There are two plans available, Gold Card for $99.95 per year or $9.95 per month or the Platinum Card at $159.95 per year or $15.95 per month. These programs include Prescription Drug, Dental Care, Vision Care, Hearing Care, Chiropractic Care, Behavioral Counseling, 24 Hour NurseLine, Physical Therapy, Senior Care Advocay, Health Clubs and Emergency Travel Assistance. This is NOT insurance, but discount plans.

"You do not have to be a member of an association or depend upon your employer to take advantage of discount healthcare program benefits. Family discount healthcare programs are available as well as programs for individuals. Senior healthcare plans can often be expensive, but ours are easily affordable and available to everyone no matter your age, employment status, or pre-existing conditions."


Who uses discount health programs? - Consumer Health Alliance


Scam Alerts - Coalition Against Insurance Fraud

Medical Discount Plans: They’re Not Health Insurance - Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Alert