Florida Ex-Cons Getting Deep Discount on Meds

Florida ex-cons are getting an additional benefit besides freedom -- prescription meds at a deep discount.

The Department of Corrections is teaming up with the Recovery Health Network to give newly released inmates cards that give them drug discounts of up to 75 percent.

The free cards can be used at over 54,000 pharmacies across the country and never expire. Recovery Health says they've issued 700,000 cards nationwide and currently have about one million requests.

Florida Department of Corrections officials say the cards are meant to help the convicts readjust to freedom.

"The goal is to make reentry for inmates into society easy from day one," said Latoya lane, Director of Reentry. "Florida Department of Corrections is also increasing substance abuse programs to go along with it."
 
The department says that research shows that a low income is a barrier for stopping newly released inmates from continuing treatment.

“It also ties into public safety, if inmates are not successful in reentry, they will commit another crime,” said assistant director Jim Cox.