Amazon is expanding its healthcare offerings with the launch of a new subscription service for Prime members in the United States. The program, called RxPass, will cost $5 per month and will provide customers with access to a range of generic drugs and doorstep delivery. The move is aimed at providing more affordable access to medication for those suffering from chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, anxiety, diabetes, and male pattern baldness. The program includes over 50 medications addressing more than 80 chronic conditions, according to Vin Gupta, Amazon Pharmacy’s chief medical officer.
However, the service is not available to those enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or any other government healthcare program. The average Prime member would save about $100 per year with RxPass, according to John Love, vice president of Amazon Pharmacy. Amazon Prime members in most U.S. states can sign up for the program from Tuesday.
This new service aligns with Amazon’s ongoing focus on its healthcare portfolio, which over the recent years has included telehealth, drug delivery, fitness trackers, and cancer research. Amazon’s acquisition of online pharmacy PillPack in 2018 helped the retail giant set up a prescription delivery and price-comparison site, and now its Pharmacy initiative poses a growing threat to drugstore retailers CVS Health Corp and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.
“We believe a lot of Americans, particularly those that suffer from a chronic illness, are going to benefit from just Amazon’s participation in pharmacy, the ability to get high-quality experience delivered to your door at low cost,” said Love. The flat $5 charge would be without insurance and on top of the Prime membership fee, which costs $139 per year in the United States.
