Amazon has announced a new discounted prescription drug delivery service called 'RxPass.' The world's largest online retailer got into the healthcare business more than two years ago, launching Amazon Pharmacy in late 2020. The service offers free home delivery of prescription drugs to Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. and even offers a discount program to uninsured customers. While it was expected to cause a major disruption of the traditional pharmacy sector dominated by CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens, it has not matched its initial hype – something Amazon hopes to change with its latest offering.
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Amazon's new RxPass service allows Prime users in the U.S. to pay a $5 monthly fee to buy generic medications that are typically substantially cheaper than branded formulations. To start off, the service will cover generic drugs for 80 common ailments, but Amazon has no timetable to expand the list to include more diseases. Some of the drugs available as part of the RxPass program include Losartan – the generic formulation for the hypertension drug Cozaar, and Sertraline – the generic for the anti-depressant Zoloft.
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Amazon's Prescription Drug Delivery Service
According to Amazon's estimate, more than 150 million Americans take one or more of the medications available through RxPass, making it a highly lucrative proposition for potential customers. The service is available in most U.S. states, and according to Amazon, will help patients save time and money compared to traditional means of filling prescriptions.
To sign up for RxPass, users can go to the Amazon Pharmacy website or app, sign in with an existing Amazon account, and then follow the instructions. The company says it will have pharmacists or support staff available 24/7 to help users with their queries and coordinate with their doctors. Also, since the $5 is a direct payment and not routed through insurance, customers won't have to worry about deductibles or co-pays. Eligible meds on the list will have an "Included with RxPass" tag on the Amazon Pharmacy page.
The $5 fee includes the delivery charge and covers multiple deliveries based on the customer's needs. This means subscribers can get all their prescription medications on the RxPass list filled as often as they need for the same monthly charge. There are a couple of restrictions users should be aware of. The service is unavailable to people on government-funded healthcare plans like Medicare or Medicaid. Additionally, RxPass cannot be used for prescription drug delivery in California, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.
