Few Riverside residents know about a discount prescription drug program that has been available to everyone for little more than a year.

Accessing it is as easy as making a trip to a city library, community center or utility payment office. There's no charge to get into the program.

Riverside is one of six Inland cities included in the CVS Caremark prescription discount card program through membership in the National League of Cities. The league is a Washington D.C.-based lobbying organization that represents municipalities nationwide.

All residents of cities enrolled in the program can participate, regardless of age, income or health care coverage. Riverside residents can pick up discount cards at about 25 places throughout the city and use them at an estimated 100 pharmacies to pay for prescriptions not covered by insurance.

Other participating cities include Canyon Lake, Grand Terrace and Murrieta. The cards, emblazoned with city seals, are immediately ready for use.

Marc Shapiro, league program director for enterprise programs, said his organization began offering the discount prescription drug cards more than a year ago to help cities provide options for needy residents. The program saves people an average of 20 percent off retail prescription drugs prices, he said. Almost all commercial pharmacies accept them, Shapiro said.

"It was designed for residents who are most in need," he said. "It's for people who are uninsured and people with prescriptions that are not covered by insurance."

But anyone who wants a card can get one as long as they live in a participating city. So far, about 325 cities nationwide have joined, Shapiro said. The program saved people an estimated $1.3 million through December 2009, he said.

Veterinary drugs filled at pharmacies also can be covered, Shapiro said.

He said he expects the program will become more popular as health plans scale back on the number of prescriptions they cover, especially on "lifestyle drugs," such as Rogaine and some weight loss drugs.

"It's the kind of program where everyone benefits," Shapiro said. "Especially residents who are really struggling with daily decisions about whether to pay bills or fill prescriptions."

Eric Ustation, assistant to Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge, said Riverside residents in 2009 filled 501 prescriptions using the program. They saved about $11,000.

"Anyone who wants a card can pick one up," Ustation said. "We're trying to get as many people as possible to use it."

Clerks at the city's utility payment centers started handing out the cards to residents a few months ago to encourage people to use them, he said.

"That's really what it's about, getting people to learn about it," Ustation said.

Reach Lora Hines at 951-368-9444 or lhines@PE.com