Rhode Island Rx Card Media Center

Chamber & RIRx Card Kick-Off Holiday Food Drive to Benefit Area Non-Profits

Food drive to take place at locations throughout Rhode Island 
November 30 - January 4

The Chamber and the Rhode Island Rx Card (RIRx) are teaming up in a community effort to provide valuable nourishment to Rhode Islanders in need this holiday season.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 14.4 percent of Rhode Islanders - or 60,800 households - are food insecure. The most severe conditions associated with hunger are reported by 4.6 percent of our state's residents.

The Chamber and RIRx are asking the public to donate nutritious, non-perishable food items to their holiday food drive from November 30 - January 4 at convenient locations across the state.

Food donations will benefit the following community-based organizations to help them provide basic staples for individuals and families battling hunger during the holidays:

"Hunger is an issue that affects far too many in communities throughout Rhode Island. The Chamber and its RIRx Card program are proud to join with local non-profits to help curb hunger during the holiday season," said Laurie White, president of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. "Our partner organizations are doing tremendous work to assist area children and families, and it is our pleasure to support and further their efforts." 

"Through our holiday food drive, we hope to engage the public in making Rhode Island a better place to live by serving those in need, especially at a time of year where many budgets can get stretched thin," White said.

"Each month CCAP serves over 600 families in need at our Food Bank. Many are working families, children and the elderly. Extra food for the holidays is an even bigger burden for families that need help. All of us at CCAP want to thank Rhode Island RX and the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce for organizing these special holiday food drives and to everyone in the community helping us stock our shelves this holiday season," said Joanne McGunagle, CCAP President and Chief Executive Office.

Food donation sites and details are below.

CVS Caremark Charity Classic 2014

CVS Caremark Charity Classic 2014 Gala

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The CVS Caremark Charity Classic is in its 16th year at Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, featuring 20 professionals from the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours and will be held on Sunday June 22 ┴шр Tuesday June 24, 2014. The Charity Classic has been bringing world-class golf to Rhode Island since 1999.

The tournament generates funds that are distributed to local nonprofit organizations that provide funding to a range of programs throughout Southern New England. The tournament raised nearly $1.3 million in 2013 for charities across the area, bringing the total funds raised since its inception to more than $17 million.

For the third year, UNA Rx Card and State Rx Plans have hosted the red carpet at the CVS Charity Classic Gala, with the Rhode Island Rx Card team directing people to have their pictures taken for the event.

Free Prescription Drug Card Launched

(Providence) – A free statewide prescription drug card program launched yesterday offers discounts on both generic and brand-name medications.

Rhode Island Rx (RIRx) – available to all Rhode Islanders – offers average savings of about 30 percent off regular retail prices, according to the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber, one of the program's top backers, is working to raise awareness of the cards and encourage people to enroll.

To participate, Rhode Island residents just need to go to www.RIRx.com; fill out a short form with their name and e-mail address; and print out the free card. Cards also may be obtained at CVS/pharmacy stores across the state, by asking the pharmacist about RIRx.

CVS has been selected as the "preferred" pharmacy for the Rhode Island program. But the cards will be accepted at more than 50,000 drug stores nationwide, including Discount Place Pharmacy in East Providence, Pharmacare Specialty Pharmacy in Providence, and the Hannaford Food and Drug, Shaw's Osco, Stop & Shop, Target, Walgreens and WalMart pharmacy chains.

RIRx is part of a national prescription-drug assistance initiative that links various statewide prescription discount programs, the Chamber said

The point-of-sale discount program was launched primarily to help the uninsured. And people who receive their medicines through charity care providers – such as 340B, a federally funded program that grants discounts to providers – may use the card to obtain a lower price on drugs not available through those providers.

But the discount cards also can be used by people whose health plans don't include prescription benefits; those whose health insurance has a high deductible; people with health savings accounts (HSAs); those who are in the "doughnut hole" of Medicare Part D plans; and those who need a prescription drug not covered by their insurance plan.

RIRx offers additional savings, as well: Through it, participants gain to other discount programs including the VitaminSavingsPlan.com, Diabetic Savings Plan, ProSmile, QualSight, 25DollarEyeglasses.net, USHearingPlan.com and PetMedAmerica.com.

There is no cost to join RIRX – and there are no enrollment forms, no restrictions, no waiting periods, no eligibility limits, no formularies (restricted lists of medications a plan covers) and no exclusions involved. RIRx will not share, sell or distribute personal information for any reason, the Chamber added.

"The cost of health care is a top concern for Rhode Island's residents," Laurie White, president of the Chamber, said in announcing the discount plan. "With unemployment on the rise due to the stalling economy, many individuals and families are finding themselves without health insurance. RIRx is designed to give our residents access to much-needed health-care cost savings."

Rhode Island Rx Card Selected As Best Program in Rhode Island for 2012

(Providence, RI) – RxResource.org announced that Rhode Island Rx Card has been voted "The Best Prescription Assistance Program in Rhode Island for 2012". Programs were rated by industry professionals across the following categories: Program Access, Program Benefits, Customer Support, Prescription Formulary List, Drug Discounts, and Network Coverage. Rhode Island Rx Card was launched March 2009 and has saved Rhode Islanders over $2 million on their prescription drug costs.

About Rhode Island Rx Card

Rhode Island Rx Card is a free statewide prescription assistance program open to all residents. There are no forms to fill out and no restrictions on membership. Rhode Island Rx Card is currently working with numerous organizations, clinics and hospitals to help create awareness of the program. This program was created to help uninsured and underinsured Rhode Islanders afford their prescription medications, but those with health insurance can use the program on non-covered drugs. Both brand and generic medications are eligible for discounts ranging from 30%-75%. Everyone living or working in Rhode Island can obtain a free card, search drug pricing and locate participating pharmacies by visiting www.RIRX.com. Anyone not able to obtain a card can visit any CVS/pharmacy in Rhode Island and ask to have their prescription processed through the Rhode Island Rx Card. CVS/pharmacy has been named the preferred pharmacy for the program by offering this service to residents. Rhode Island Rx Card is accepted at more than 56,000 pharmacies across the country, including all major chains. For more information, visit the website at www.RIRX.com..

About Rx Resource

Rx Resource is a site designed to provide knowledge and support to individuals looking to simplify the confusing maze of discount programs and patient assistance programs that have appeared in recent years. Rx Resource provides a wide array of information, services and expertise for those looking for healthcare relief. For more information, visit the website at www.RxResource.org.

Rhode Island Rx Card: 2012 Best Rx Assistance Program Rankings

A recent poll conducted by industry professionals at RxResource.org focused on the best ways to cut costs on prescription drugs.

The poll results focused on the top three prescription assistance programs in Rhode Island. Rhode Island Rx Card out-ranked all other programs and came in number one. Below are the results and details from the poll:

1. Rhode Island Rx Card - Rhode Island Rx is a free statewide prescription assistance program that was launched in March 2009. The program is open to all residents of Rhode Island regardless of age or income.

2. Rx Outreach - Rx Outreach was developed to provide a safe, affordable, and easy way for people of all ages to get medicines they need. The program offers prescription medicines to uninsured individuals and families, as well as those who have limited prescription drug coverage.

3. Rhode Island Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Elderly (RIPAE) - The Rhode Island Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Elderly (RIPAE) program provides prescription drug cost assistance to Rhode Island residents 65 and older who meet specific income guidelines and those 55 and older who are disabled.

CVS Caremark Charity Classic 2013

CVS Caremark Charity Classic 2013 Gala

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(Providence, RI) — The 2013 CVS Gala was attended by more than 1,100 guests. The Live Auction raised over $416,000. Award-winning band, Train, was the live entertainment and put on a tremendous show. NBC sportscaster, Dan Hicks, emceed the festivities.

Companies that supported the event included:

  • (add)ventures
  • Accenture
  • Advance Business Machines/Innovex
  • AMD
  • American Greetings
  • Anheuser Busch
  • Aptalis Pharma
  • ARC Properties
  • Armstrong Development
  • AT&T
  • Aurobindo
  • Barclays Capital
  • Bayer
  • BMC Software
  • Bockorny Group
  • Bonded Filter Co.
  • Boos Development
  • Boston Consulting Group
  • C&L Maintenance
  • Campanelli
  • Capital Growth Buchalter
  • Capital Properties Group
  • Cardinal Health
  • CBA Industries
  • Cherry Logistics
  • Cintas
  • Cisco
  • Cleanway
  • Coca Cola
  • Cognizant
  • Colgate-Palmolive
  • Conair Corporation
  • CPH, Inc.
  • Crossmark
  • Cube 3 Studios
  • CVS Caremark
  • Daktronics
  • Data-Mail
  • Davis, Polk & Wardwell
  • Dean Foods
  • Deem Mechanical
  • Delta Dental
  • Diamond Contractors
  • Dimeo Construction
  • Divisions Inc.
  • DJM Realty
  • Dr. Pepper Snapple Grp.
  • Dr. Reddy's
  • E & J Gallo
  • Edys Grand Ice Cream
  • EMC
  • Emerson Climate Technologies
  • First Quality Consumer Products
  • Fortney & Weygandt
  • Galaxe Solutions
  • General Mills
  • Genpact-Headstrong
  • Gershman Brown Associate
  • Greenscape
  • Hallmark Cards
  • Harold Young Inc.
  • Hart-Redd
  • Hatch Group
  • Henkel/Dial
  • Hershey Food Corp
  • Hinckley, Allen & Snyder
  • Hometown Development
  • Hussmann/Ingersoll Rand
  • IBM
  • Icon Identity Solutions
  • Informatica
  • Jacobs
  • JEM Development
  • JOH Sales
  • Kimberly-Clark
  • KKM
  • KPMG
  • Kraft Foods
  • L.H. Sisitzky Sales
  • Lane Valente Industries
  • Linfield, Junius, Hunter
  • Little
  • Magnivison
  • Mainten-x
  • Mansfield Oil
  • Marcal Paper Mills/Soundview
  • Mars Chocolate N. America
  • Master-Bilt
  • MasterCard
  • McKinsey & Company
  • MedHOK
  • Merch Source
  • Merck (formerly Schering Plough)
  • Michael James Industries
  • Mindshare
  • Monoflo International
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals
  • Nationwide Maintenance
  • Nestle Waters/Poland Spring
  • News America Marketing
  • NORR
  • Oracle
  • Pepsi Cola Company
  • Perrigo Company
  • Pfizer Consumer Healthcare
  • Physicians Formula
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Providence Journal
  • PSM Architects
  • QMI
  • Rebkee
  • RelayHealth
  • Ricoh USA
  • Rogers Electric
  • Ryder
  • SAP
  • SAS
  • SC Johnson
  • Seerco
  • Shuster Group
  • Southern Wine & Spirits
  • Staples
  • Stone River Solutions/Third Party
  • Store Opening Solutions
  • SunGard Availability Services
  • Sylvania Lighting Services
  • T Crown Holdings
  • TCS
  • Telwares
  • Teradata
  • Teva Pharmaceuticals USA
  • Toshiba
  • Tri-C Construction
  • TriDim Filter
  • Trinchero Family Estates
  • Ultimate Signs
  • Unigraphic
  • Underwriters Labs
  • United Networks of America
  • US Nutrition
  • US Refrigeration
  • Valeant
  • Velmier Development
  • Veritas Solutions
  • Verizon Wireless
  • Vertical Communications
  • WPRI
  • WD Partners
  • Wrigley
  • XL Group