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Could it be the cure Hidalgo County residents sick of shelling out cash for medications have been waiting for?

Or is the new prescription card with no enrollment fee or paperwork too good to be true?

Action 4 News met with county leaders and pharmacists to find out if what they're prescribing will indeed help struggling Rio Grande Valley residents.

Hidalgo County Judge JD Salinas said the program comes at a time the nation is in a bad economic crisis.

Salinas said every bit Hidalgo County residents can save will go toward trying to help their families in other ways.

“Nothing paid, no questions asked," Salinas said. "Just take it to an independent pharmacist and they take a percentage off.”

Judge Salinas said the average income in Hidalgo County is $16,000.

That's just enough for some families to buy the essentials but when it comes down to parents having to decide between paying for medication or buying food.

But Salinas said that's where the little card with the the Hidalgo County seal comes in.

Hidalgo County and a group of pharmacists stepped in to create the discount card.

It sounds too good to be true, but local pharmacist Danny Vela says it’s a great option for many residents.

Vela said as many as 47 percent of Hidalgo County residents are uninsured.

He said the card benefits neighborhood pharmacies, which would get more business from people who otherwise would have gone without medication.

"If we’re going to give them a discount, let us reap some kind of benefit from giving them that discount which is to continue serving the population," Vela said.

The card covers everyone who picks it up, regardless of income and offers up to 35 percent savings on most prescriptions.

"Even those with insurance still have to worry about not having everything covered," Vela said. "They have to dig in their own pockets for certain medications.”

County leaders say the card will be managed by Data RX and one card can be used by the entire family.

Click here for more information about the pharmacy card.