The average American spends $1,200 per person each year on medications. For those living below the ALICE threshold, that’s a significant financial burden. Throw in a global pandemic and its economic effects, and that burden becomes unbearable.

Fortunately, a long-time partnership between United Way and FamilyWize has eased that burden locally by more than $277,000 so far this year.

FamilyWize, a community service organization, works with United Ways across the country to lower the cost of prescription medications for local individuals and families. The program provides discount cards that help people save an average of about 40% on their prescription costs. The card is free and available to anyone, with no eligibility requirements. It’s accepted at more than 60,000 pharmacies nationwide and covers all FDA-approved prescription medicines.

FamilyWize recently released its fiscal year impact report. Between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020, United Way BCKR’s partnership with FamilyWize saved 7,095 patients in the region a total of $385,688 on the cost of their medications.

For the calendar year through August, households in Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties have saved $277,696 on drug costs. Those savings spiked in March ($24,021 in Calhoun County, 2½ times higher than the previous March) and April ($17,133 in Kalamazoo County, about the same as April 2019) during the statewide lockdown, when many people weren’t able to work.

Quality, affordable health care—including affordable medications—is crucial to building financially stable households. Since 2005, FamilyWize has helped 11 million Americans save more than $1 billion on the cost of medicines.

The FamilyWize Prescription Saving Card is available for free. You can download the card from the FamilyWize website, familywize.org. In addition, FamilyWize has a mobile app available from Google Play and the Apple App Store.