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How a low-cost medical ID card could help save your life

If you ever have to call 911, there’s something you can do now that will make it a lot easier to give responders the information they need: It’s called the File of Life.

In essence, the File of Life is a simple packet of important medical information about a person, geared at helping first responders respond to emergencies.

It comes as an inexpensive fridge magnet, ID card or door decal imprinted with a person’s current and critical health details including allergies, medications and emergency contacts.

It’s particularly important for seniors, but anyone with a chronic illness, severe medical condition or developmental disability can benefit.

You can download the provided inserts, or forms to fill out from a local fire departments, or write it all out on your own — but be sure to use pencil so you can update it as needed.

File of Life is available for purchase online.

States seek to lower drug prices by targeting the companies that manage them for health plans

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — As consumers worry about medication costs, states are trying to lower drug prices by reining in big companies that oversee prescription coverage for health insurers. Some of those companies, called pharmacy benefit managers, also own pharmacies, and one of them, CVS, has spent millions of dollars fighting the regulations. Affordability is a key issue ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Legislators in at least a dozen states passed laws this year to limit compensation to the companies, set minimum payments from the companies to pharmacists and require the companies to disclose more information to their clients, states and the public. A Tennessee law will bar pharmacy benefit managers from operating retail pharmacies as of July 1, 2028, though CVS Health Corp. has filed a federal lawsuit to avoid having to close its 136 pharmacies there.
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