Amazon Prime prescription plan expands access to Medicare recipients
Medicare beneficiaries are now eligible to take part in a pharmacy subscription benefit for Amazon Prime members.
In January 2023, Amazon Pharmacy launched RxPass, an offering allowing U.S. Prime Members in most states to order as many prescriptions as they need from a list of 50 generic drugs for a flat monthly add-on fee of $5 to Prime membership, with no other mark-ups.
The available medications, which are delivered free of charge, treat more than 80 common health conditions, including high blood pressure, acid reflux and diabetes. RxPass also offers the ability to connect with a pharmacist 24/7.
Amazon Pharmacy’s RxPass now offers Prime members on Medicare unlimited access to 60 eligible prescription medications for $5 a month, with fast, free delivery.
RxPass does not use insurance, instead it offers another way to cover the cost of eligible medications for customers with or without insurance. At Amazon Pharmacy, customers have the option to use insurance for some or all of their eligible medications or use savings programs from Prime for eligible medications which do not use insurance.
"Many people don’t realize that even if you have great insurance, you can still save on select medications by using programs like RxPass," said John Love, VP of Amazon Pharmacy. "The overall cost of medications can be lower, and that’s not even factoring in the time and effort saved from not having to drive to a pharmacy or stand in line."
"Prime is savings, convenience, and care all in a single membership," said Jamil Ghani, worldwide VP of Prime. “Millions of Americans enjoy Prime’s exclusive savings, exceptional entertainment options, and fast, free delivery of products and services.”
"There are a high number of adults who, whether due to cost, mobility, or simply not having time to collect their medications from the pharmacy, are not adhering to a medication regimen that could be life-saving," said Dr. Vin Gupta, chief medical officer of Amazon Pharmacy. "When a patient’s medication arrives regularly at their door, at a price they can afford, we see better long-term health outcomes. Expanding RxPass to Medicare beneficiaries can help solve for affordability and access challenges among a patient population who experiences high levels of chronic disease."
Amazon launched Amazon Pharmacy, which allows U.S. customers to order prescription medications for home delivery, with free two-day delivery for Amazon Prime members, in November 2020.
The offering represented a major push by Amazon into a $300 billion market that was previously dominated by pharmacy giants such as CVS Health, Walgreens and Rite Aid, along with supermarkets and discounters that offer prescriptions, such as Walmart. Amazon Pharmacy delivers to all 50 U.S. states, including the District of Columbia.