If you don't have insurance that pays for prescription drugs, a bunch of alternatives offer savings which might range from a little to quite substantial. None will make users think the new administration in Washington should forget about healthcare reform, but they could help in a pinch. * Florida Discount Drug Card. Available to anyone 60 or older or persons without insurance who earn less than $2,553 a month for an individual, $3,423 for a family of two or $5,163 for a family of four. There is a one-time application fee of $1.50. The program says it offers savings of 5 percent to 42 percent on major drugs. Thirty 20 mg tablets of Lipitor, the cholesterol drug, cost $104.38 with the card, compared with $120 at Drugstore.com. Plavix, the heart medication, costs $146.65 for 30 75mg tablets, compared with $151.94 at Drugstore.com. More information at floridadiscountdrugcard.com or 1-866-341-8894. * Together RX Access card. Created by major pharmaceutical companies, the program is open to people without health insurance who earn less than $30,000 for a single person or $60,000 for a family of four. There's no charge for the card, which boasts savings of 25 to 40 percent. Prices depend on location and the pharmacy chosen. The website doesn't reveal detailed price information. More information at Togetherrxaccess.com or 1-800-444-4106. * Partnership for Prescription Assistance. Another effort of Big Pharma. It lists 475 patient assistance programs, mostly from drug companies and nonprofit programs, aimed at those with no insurance. Many drugs are offered at discounts or free, depending on need. Many programs are open to individuals earning less than $19,000 a year or families of three with less than $32,000 annual income. Abbott, for example, says it gave away $179 million in drugs in 2007 to 113,000 patients. More information at pparx.org or 1-888-477-2669. -- JOHN DORSCHNER