A press release I received today claims one solution might be a Pet Assure Veterinary Discount Plan. It’s not insurance; instead, the veterinary practice provides a discount to Pet Assure cardholders. ,

According to the press release:

• Almost 10 percent of the nation’s veterinary practices participate in the Pet Assure program.
• It’s affordable, costing less than $100 per year.
• The plan is simple: instant savings at the time of service.
• It has no fine print. Any and every medical condition and procedure is covered, even pre-existing conditions.
• It pays itself, saving the average pet family a lot more than the cost of a Pet Assure card.

Have you tried Pet Assure yet? If so, what do you think of it?

To discourage such behavior, more vets offer or participate in third-party discount plans that for a monthly fee give pet owners price cuts on treatments or perks, such as unlimited office visits.

One is Pet Assure Corp., a Lakewood, N.J., company that sells discount plans to consumers who then receive savings at participating vets. The plans offer an average 25% discount on most procedures for $7.95 to $13.95 a month, depending on the type and number of animals covered. Pet Assure has signed up 1,700 clinics and 300,000 pets since its 1995 launch, according to Charles Nebenzahl, chief executive.

Rick Katz in Overland Park, Kan., saved almost $200 on an $800 bill through Pet Assure when Max the Wonder Dog, his 14-year-old black Labrador-golden retriever mix, suffered a seizure eight months ago. “We brought him to the vet and had that all-important question you have with pets, which is, ‘How far do you go?’ ” Mr. Katz says. “The vet said he still had life in him, so we went and had him treated.” Of the savings, he says, “It’s a big deal. It adds up.”

Read the full article here.