FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2018
CONTACT:
Kate LeFurgy
312.744.2507
Kate.LeFurgy@CityofChicago.org
Mayor Emanuel and City Clerk Valencia Announce RFP for CityKey Prescription Benefits
City seeking Partner to Provide a Discount Prescription Drug Program to Chicago Residents through the Chicago CityKey
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and City Clerk Valencia announced today that the City will be adding a fourth benefit to the Chicago CityKey ID to provide discounts on name brand and generic prescription drugs to all cardholders at no direct cost to the City or participating Chicago residents. This benefit will provide cardholders the option to have a prescription drug card number automatically printed on their CityKey allowing cardholders to present the number at their local pharmacy when purchasing prescription drugs to see if they or the prescription qualifies to receive a discount. “Prescription drug prices are skyrocketing across the country, and here in Chicago we are going to help lower costs for consumers and save money for Chicago residents,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “The price of a prescription should never be a barrier to any Chicagoan getting the medicine they need or achieving the health, well-being and quality of life they deserve.” “At a time when we are all looking for ways to save extra money, adding this additional benefit to the card is another opportunity to create an even more robust program that will truly benefit all Chicago residents,” said City Clerk Anna Valencia. “The CityKey will not only allow you to ride the bus, and check out books, it can also help Chicago residents and families save big at the pharmacy counter, especially those who are currently unemployed and without health insurance or drug coverage.” Additionally, to provide Chicago consumers an opportunity to save money and support residents’ ability to always pay the lowest cost for their prescriptions, the City is seeking a vendor that does not restrict pharmacies’ ability to provide consumers with price options as it relates to the cost of the prescription. Through the Chicago CityKey cards, the City looks to create a consumer friendly program that provides Chicago residents an excellent option to save on prescription medications.
The City is seeking a vendor that will be responsible for: Maintaining a large pharmacy network, so our program is accessible to ALL Chicagoans; Creating eligibility policies that allow for the maximum number of Chicago residents to utilize the Services (i.e. open to individuals regardless of age, income, ability or employment status); Developing a website that allows participating residents to locate pharmacies in the network and search for the price of prescription drugs; Creating education and outreach materials describing the benefits, how the program works etc.; and, Protecting the privacy of Chicago residents' information. Responses to the RFP are due by Friday, April 13, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. Questions will be due by Friday, March 30, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. Clerk Valencia and Mayor Emanuel launched the CityKey pilot in December 2017. To support the program’s implementation, the City’s 2017 and 2018 Budget allocated $1 million to the program. Upon being sworn-in, City Clerk Valencia launched a listening tour to solicit feedback about the Municipal ID program from constituents all across the city and has held over 50 roundtables to date. In April 2017, an ordinance solidifying the program was passed in City Council with overwhelming support. After testing the program, Clerk Valencia plans to make the card publically available to Chicago residents in April of 2018. The RFP and related information is available at www.chicityclerk.com/contracts-bids-rfqs-rfps.
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