A new discount card is being offered by Bristol County commissioners to help offset the high price of prescription drugs not covered by insurance.

The county has signed a contract to make the discount cards available free to residents of Bristol County as part of a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties. The card offers an average savings of 20 percent off the retail price of commonly prescribed drugs.

The cards, which are available at participating pharmacies, may be used by all county residents, regardless of age, income or existing health coverage.

An estimated 70 percent of the county's pharmacies will accept the National Association of Counties card, and a national network of more than 59,000 participating retail pharmacies also will honor it.

"The National Association of Counties prescription discount card offers significant savings for the uninsured and underinsured residents of our county, and even those fortunate to have prescription coverage may use the card to save money on drugs that are not covered by their health plan," County Commissioner Christopher Saunders said. "Residents do not have to be Medicare beneficiaries to be eligible for this program." No cost to taxpayers

There is no cost to county taxpayers for the program, which is administered by CVS Caremark.

Jaye Cioper, administrator in the Bristol County Commissioners' office, said the state's major pharmacies, including CVS, Rite-Aid and Walgreens have agreed to participate in the program.

"Using the National Association of Counties prescription discount card is easy," Saunders said. "A cardholder will simply present it at a participating pharmacy. There is no enrollment form, no membership fee and no restrictions or limits on frequency of use. Card holders and their family members may use the card any time their prescriptions are not covered by insurance."