SAFEWAY LAUNCHES NO-FEE DRUG CARD

Liza Casabona

PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Safeway here introduced its own branded, no-fee Medicare discount prescription drug card this month through a partnership with ScriptSave, a division of Medical Security Card, Tucson, Ariz.

"This gives us a way to provide a discount specifically for our customers so that they will feel more loyal to Safeway," said Greg TenEyck, director of public affairs for the Eastern Division of Safeway, about the chain's decision.

All U.S. divisions of the chain are participating and the card will be branded with the logo of the Safeway division that issues it, TenEyck said. For example, Chicago customers will get a Dominick's card and customers in Maryland will get a card with the Safeway logo.

The card offers savings ranging from 10% to 30% off the cost of prescriptions. The cards can be requested and issued immediately, but the Medicare benefit is not effective until June 1.

Safeway is not the only retailer to offer its customers a branded Medicare card program. H.E. Butt Grocery Co., San Antonio, is offering a similar no-fee Medicare card to pharmacy customers through its own partnership with ScriptSave.

Other retailers have taken a different tack. Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh, ran Medicare prescription discount card counseling sessions in all its stores with pharmacies during May, but is not marketing any particular card.