by Amazon simply launched RXPass (opens in new tab), a new program that lets Prime members ship prescription drugs to their houses. The month-to-month subscription service prices solely $5 (not together with the Prime membership fee) and consists of over 50 generic medications (opens in new tab) for widespread situations, like hypertension and anxiousness. In truth, greater than 150 million Americans already take at the least one of many prescriptions out there on RXPass. The $5 price is a flat month-to-month charge, letting you refill a number of prescriptions at no extra price. However, take into account that this service is just for Prime members, and membership charges price $14.99 a month or $139 a yr.
Currently out there in 42 states, RXPass is Amazon’s newest push into the healthcare industry. In 2020, Amazon started mailing discounted prescription drugs by means of its Amazon Pharmacy (opens in new tab). Then, on the finish of 2022, the corporate unveiled Amazon Clinic (opens in new tab) which affords customers message-based consultations with clinicians for a vary of situations.
With RXPass, generic drugs are closely discounted — at as much as 68% off. If you don’t have insurance coverage, pay out of pocket for drugs, or don’t have your drugs lined by your insurance coverage coverage you possibly can probably save huge by opting to get your common prescriptions by means of Amazon this manner. However, if you’re lined by a government-funded insurance coverage coverage, like Medicare or Medicaid, you gained’t be capable to use RXPass presently. Additionally, you gained’t be capable to use your HSA or FSA with RXPass both, because it’s not thought-about a substitute for insurance coverage.
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Overall, whereas RXPass affords heavy reductions on generic model medicine, you will not see the identical reductions for the costly brand-name medicine, which in keeping with CNN (opens in new tab), “drive the majority of US prescription drug spending.” So, whereas RXPass in all probability gained’t push down spending on medicine that are not going through competitors from generic drugs, it’s more likely to drive extra healthcare spending in the direction of Amazon, boosting memberships and inspiring prospects to spend extra on different merchandise.
