Lodi joins prescription discount card program

Lodians will now be able to save on prescriptions drug purchases, thanks to a new program provided by the National League of Cities.

The city is now participating in the NLC’s “My Healthy Hometown” prescription discount program, which is free to all Lodi residents. Participants will be able to use a My Healthy Hometown Prescription Discount Card at a participating retail pharmacy and save an average 24 percent off of their retail prices of prescription drugs, Lodi Councilman Doug Kuehne said. There are no annual limits placed on use, no forms to fill out, no waiting periods, no age or income requirements and no medical condition restrictions.

“For people who have prescription plans with their health insurance, sometimes it doesn’t cover diabetes medications or a variety of other medicines. The program will actually cover those as well,” Kuehne said.

The card cannot be combined with existing insurance plans, so residents will have to use one or the other when purchasing medications.

Not only can residents use the cards for their prescriptions, they can also use them for their pet’s prescriptions, too, Kuehne said.

The program is a benefit of the city being a member of the NLC, and several other cities in California are already benefiting from the program, Kuehne said.

“I only found out about it six months ago, and it’s taken me this long to move along the process to get it,” Kuehne said. “Apparently it’s been available for quite some time. Stockton already has it and other cities in California already have it as well.”

As a member of the Lodi Committee on Homelessness, Kuehne said they are always looking for resources available to the homeless community and felt the prescription program would be beneficial to the homeless population.

“We’re in the process of distributing them currently,” Kuehne said, adding that the Pregnancy Resource Center already has some on hand and the Salvation Army and Grace and Mercy should have some soon.

Kuehne said they are also making efforts to have them available at local pharmacies. Residents can also obtain their free My Healthy Hometown Prescription Discount Card at city hall. They can also download a card online at

or obtain one by calling 1-888-620-1749. Most pharmacies in Lodi take this prescription drug card, according to Kuehne.