Amazon’s new drug prescription service is almost what the doctor ordered
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Continuing to be foray into the healthcare sectorAmazon launches its own drug prescription service for Prime members called RxPass, which allows consumers to buy generic drugs for $5 a month.
And that $5 goes a long way. Not only is it a flat fee, but subscribers are not subject to any hidden charges or arbitrary fees, and delivery is free. You can buy all medicines (opens in new tab) you need $5, assuming it’s available through the program. You will have access to at launch more than 50 different drugs (opens in new tab) to treat more than 80 common health problems, from diabetes to gout and even high blood pressure. Any additional prescriptions you need that are not available through RxPass must be purchased through Amazon pharmacy for its normal price. Speaking of which, Amazon Pharmacy will also highlight which drug can be purchased through the new service, as a new blue RxPass icon will appear in drug descriptions.
Registration
To enroll, the company states that Prime members must go through a “simple sign-up process” to verify an individual’s “eligibility and prescription information.” Amazon pharmacies are available 24/7 to assist with refills or “align with [your] doctor” for a smooth installation. Packages are “delivered monthly or quarterly” to your door – depending on the prescription. Differs.
It’s also worth pointing out that the amount of medication you buy affects how long your subscription lasts. Let’s say you buy a three-month supply of finasteride. In Amazon’s eyes, you’ve just committed to a three-month subscription to RxPass. Patients can cancel at any time, but the cancellation will only take effect after that period. You cannot cancel after 40 days to save money; Amazon won’t let you. So pay close attention to how much you buy.
Limits
As you can imagine, there are some limitations at launch. The service will be available in 42 US states. The excluded eight are California, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. Patients in those states will have to use Amazon Pharmacy to get their medications. Amazon will also refuse people depending on the type of insurance they have. If you have Medicare, Medicaid, or any other government-funded insurance, you will be denied. And neither an HSA (Health Savings Account) nor FSA (Flexible Spending Account) are accepted.
It looks like patients can use their insurance plan to pay for RxPass, but for just an extra $5 a month on top of a Prime membership fee, is that really necessary? Being able to buy all your prescriptions (assuming they qualify) in one place for such a low price is a bargain. RxPass could help a lot of people, especially with the current inflation.
We’ve reached out to Amazon to ask if there are any plans to expand both the eligible drug list and RxPass to the eight excluded states. This story will be updated if we hear anything.
Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best telemedicine software for 2023. These platforms enable remote care if you can’t visit a doctor in person.