Program Provides Discount Vision and Hearing Benefits

Program Provides Discount Vision and Hearing Benefits to Participating CountiesCounty Discount Prescription Card Expansion includes Hearing Aids and Lasik SurgeryToday, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) announced a major expansion of its endorsed discount prescription card program, which has been adopted by 29 New York counties (see the list below).The expansion includes discounts on hearing aids, eye glasses, eye exams and Lasik surgey—now included under the same discount prescription card program.“New Yorkers in these counties have saved over $18 million for prescriptions. Now they will be able to save on hearing aids, contacts, glasses and even Lasik eye surgeries,” said NYSAC President Tom Santulli, Chemung County Executive.The NYSAC partnership program with ProAct provides residents a discount prescription card that lowers the cost of drugs for New Yorkers without health care insurance or have inadequate prescription coverage.“The prescription savings on the New York State County Discount Card Program have been significant to the residents of New York. We look forward to providing access to much needed discounts on vision, LASIK, and hearing services. These savings are much needed in these tough economic times for the all the residents of the participating counties,” said Dave Warner, president of ProAct.Currently, there are nearly 1.7 discount prescription drug cards in circulation in 29 counties, covering around 3.9 million New Yorkers. The expansion announced today will provide discount vision and hearing benefits along with the existing discount prescription program.“The cost of health care, especially in the midst of this recession, is a challenge to those without insurance or those on a fixed income who have gaps in their insurance coverage,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario. “This partnership has already provided New Yorkers with real savings on their prescriptions, now they can save on hearing aids and vision care.”The National Discount Vision Program offers significant savings on eye exams, eyeglasses, contact lenses, eye care prescriptions, LASIK procedures and hearing products and services. EyeBenefits Provider Network is comprised of over 12,000 optical and LASIK locations nationwide which includes independent, regional and national Chains, including Pearl Vision, LensCrafters, Sears, Sterling Optical and other vision centers across the country.The discount hearing benefits are provided through EPIC, Hearing Health Care. EPIC has a national network of local ear physicians and audiologists. Cardholders will receive discounts on testing, evaluations and hearing aid fittings by licensed audiologists and brand name hearing aids and products.The New York State Association of Counties is a bipartisan municipal association serving all 62 counties of New York State including the City of New York. Organized in 1925, NYSAC’s mission is to represent, educate and advocate for member counties and the thousands of elected and appointed county officials who serve the public.