ORANGE, Calif. — The California Rx Card has saved California residents more than $240 million since its launch in 2007 through the end of 2013.

The free California Rx Card discount prescription card is available at no cost to residents statewide regardless of age or income. It offers savings on both branded and generic drugs, with discounts ranging from 30% to 75%.

"The free California Rx Card makes prescription medications more affordable for many uninsured and underinsured Californians,," Edward Brown, program director for the California Rx Card, said in a statement Monday. "And it’s also valuable to people with health insurance coverage that lacks prescription benefits, which is common for health savings account (HSA) and high-deductible health plans.

"For Californians to have saved nearly a quarter-billion dollars since the introduction of the card just over six years ago is amazing," Brown added.

The discount prescription card is especially beneficial to Californians not qualifying for for publicly funded programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare, as do people filling noncovered medications, California Rx Card noted. The program also offers discounts for people receiving prescription medications through charity care providers under government 340B programs as well as providing discounts on certain prescriptions for pets.

"California Rx Card is accepted at all major chain pharmacies in California, and at more than 56,000 national, regional and independent pharmacies across the country," stated Brown.

Drug chains accepting the card include Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy and Rite Aid as well as the pharmacies of discount chains Walmart and Target and the in-store pharmacies of supermarket chains such as Albertsons, Pavilions, Raley’s, Ralphs, Safeway and Vons.

"And the card can also be used by Californians when they’re traveling outside the state" Brown added.