A good deal on drugs.

Byline: The Register-Guard

It pays to be wary of things that sound too good to be true, but in this case, it's safe to take the plunge. Every Oregonian without insurance coverage for prescription drugs will save money by signing up for the expanded Oregon Prescription Drug Program.

The price for an ID card that can save up to 60 percent on the cost of prescription medicines? Zippo. It's absolutely free.

The only catch - if it can even be called a catch - is that the program won't be able to achieve the best possible discounts for participants unless lots and lots of people sign up. The more who sign up, the bigger the savings they'll get on their drugs.

As many as 1 million Oregonians - one-third of the state's residents - lack prescription drug coverage. Every one of them became eligible for the Oregon Prescription Drug Program after voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 44 in November. The OPDP pool was previously limited to older, lower-income individuals, but Measure 44 removed all restrictions.

Oregon's program is a straightforward bulk purchasing plan. It isn't an insurance program or a government entitlement. The state simply buys drugs in bulk quantities and negotiates below-retail prices from pharmaceutical companies.

To increase the program's buying power, Oregon hooked up with Washington to form the Northwest Prescription Drug Consortium. That will enable participants to save as much as 60 percent on some generic drugs. Savings are expected to average 30 percent on generics and 15 percent on brand-name drugs.

The Oregon Prescription Drug Program also has been approved for use by Oregonians enrolled in the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan who hit the so-called "doughnut hole" - the gap in coverage for an individual's drug spending between $2,251 and $5,100. People who fall into the coverage gap have to pay full price for their medications until their expenses hit $5,100. The Oregon plan could significantly lower those out-of-pocket doughnut hole drug expenses.

The program is refreshingly simple. After enrolling, participants are issued an ID card, which they present to their pharmacist when filling a prescription. Participating pharmacists apply the program's negotiated discount to the purchase, and that's all there is to it. About 90 percent of the state's pharmacies have agreed to offer discounts to the cardholders.

Now all that remains is for people to get the word out about this innovative cost-saving program. It's in everyone's interest to encourage all eligible Oregonians to participate. Application information is available online at www.opdp.org or by calling the toll free number 1-888-411-6737.