For Immediate Release – Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Wilson Health Information finds 85% of Medicare Discount Card Users are satisfied with their card. New Prescription Discount Card Report reveals Medicare pharmacy discount users are highly cost-sensitive and less compliant, although they save more money per prescription in comparison to the amount reported by other pharmacy discount card users.
NEW HOPE, PA – (PR NEWSWIRE) – January 26, 2005 – Wilson Health Information, America’s leading Independent Consumer Satisfaction Research firm, announced results from the WilsonRx® Prescription Discount Card Satisfaction Report. This survey was conducted in July 2004 among 29,274 households in the top sixteen US markets, representing 50% of the US household population. Nearly fifteen percent of household respondents reported using a prescription discount card while Medicare Discount Card users represent 9% of discount card users included in the report.
“Among all discount card holders, The Pfizer Share Card which is no longer available, is highest in overall satisfaction. The Medicare Discount Card ranks third in terms of overall card satisfaction and card holders are the most highly satisfied that their pharmacy helps with insurance problems” said Jim Wilson, President of Wilson Health Information, LLC.
Medicare Discount Card users are most satisfied with the ease of getting prescriptions filled, the availability of participating pharmacies, the ability to get the medication they expected, and the coordination of care between healthcare providers and are least satisfied with the internet site, timeliness in receiving plan materials and Out-of-pocket costs.
The findings are not surprising given the high medical costs, lower household incomes and limited internet access among seniors”, said Wilson. Findings indicate that the Medicare Discount Card saves users an average of $12 per medication as compared to other pharmacy discount card users who are over age 65.
The higher cost for medications tends to lead to a lower level of compliance among Medicare Discount Card users. Although these users visit their pharmacy more often than other pharmacy discount card users (4.3 visits vs. 3.3 visits per month), they are least likely to fill all of the prescriptions written for them (56% vs. 63% who filled all prescriptions during past year). Medicare Discount card users are more apt than other groups to say the medication is too costly (22% vs. 17%).
For more information about the report, please contact Jim Wilson, R.Ph., MBA, President, Wilson Health Information, LLC at (215) 862- 4581 or contact us.
THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE USED FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM WILSON HEALTH INFORMATION, LLC
