Amazon expands drug subscription program to Medicare members

[Duaine]

RxPass is now available to more than 50 million Medicare members after Amazon brought it into compliance with the insurance program’s regulatory standards.

Dive Brief:​

• Amazon has expanded its generic drug savings program to Prime members on Medicare, throwing open the program’s doors to a major population of medication users — if Amazon is able to get them to sign up.
• The subscription service, called RxPass, is now available to more than 50 million Medicare members in 46 states, according to a Tuesday release. RxPass is not yet available in California, Washington, Texas or Minnesota.
• RxPass is separate from insurance, but Amazon had to undertake additional regulatory and compliance measures in order for Medicare beneficiaries to be able to use the subscription service, a spokesperson said.

RxPass subscribers pay $5 a month to fill as many prescriptions as needed from a list of about 60 generic medications, including delivery to their doorstep.

Depending on a Medicare beneficiary’s prescription drug plan (and how many medications they take), an RxPass subscription could make sense.

For example, diabetes drug metformin is covered by a little more than half of Part D plans, at a co-pay ranging from $0 to $7, according to GoodRx.

[EXTERNAL LINK] - Amazon expands drug subscription program to Medicare members

 

[somarco]

Hoping to compete with Cost Plus Drugs (Mark Cuban)?

The PDP market is pricing themselves out of the game for folks who do not take medication or only generic drugs. Many of those folks have discovered GoodRx and other discount plans.

Canadian pharmacies are another solid resource but some refuse to get their meds by mail.

The Amazon "brand" has a lot of influence with the general public. I wonder how many will take them up on Rx Pass and pay the membership fee.

 

[LostDollar]

If I am reading correctly, the "real" membership fee would be "Rx Pass Fee" PLUS "Amazon Prime Fee" ?

 

[Duaine]

That's the way I read it: Amazon has expanded its generic drug savings program to Prime members on Medicare.

Amazon announced Wednesday that Prime members can sign up for One Medical.

 

[Duaine]

And here's the "skinny" on Mark Cubans Drug Plan:
[EXTERNAL LINK] - Insured patients often save less with Mark Cuban's drug company: Study

 

[straightnochaser]

Here are the list of meds if anyone cares.

Amazon Pharmacy: RxPass

Prime members, subscribe to RxPass and get all of your eligible meds for just $5 a month.

pharmacy.amazon.com

 

[Fisher]

**metformin is covered by a little more than half of Part D plans**

Odd... I can't recall ever seeing a PDP that didn't cover metformin.

 

[straightnochaser]

**metformin is covered by a little more than half of Part D plans**

Odd... I can't recall ever seeing a PDP that didn't cover metformin.

Never seen Metformin not covered by any plan

 

[goillini52]

Here are the list of meds if anyone cares.

Amazon Pharmacy: RxPass

Prime members, subscribe to RxPass and get all of your eligible meds for just $5 a month.

pharmacy.amazon.com

I've got Prime, and I saw 3 of my meds on there. It would cost me to use it because all my generics are zero copay.

 

[somarco]

This article might add a little clarity to the AMZ RxPass program.

6/18/2024

In January 2023, Amazon's pharmacy business rolled out RxPass for Prime members to order commonly prescribed generic medications that treat more than 80 common health conditions, including high blood pressure and acid reflux, and the service includes free delivery. The service is now available in 46 states. A Prime membership costs $14.99 per month, or $139 a year. Annually, RxPass will cost Prime members an additional $60 a year.
According to a study published in Health Affairs Scholar in April, about 16 million people in the U.S., or about 4.7% of the population, live in pharmacy deserts, spanning urban and rural settings in all 50 states. On average, communities that are pharmacy deserts have a higher proportion of people who have a high school education or less, have no health insurance, have low self-reported English ability, have an ambulatory disability, and identify as a racial or ethnic minority.

"We have lost a lot of pharmacies. Bartell's is gone. Rite Aid is gone. Twenty-four hour pharmacies are not really a thing. To be able to get these very common generic medications, at low cost delivered to your door, I think the access piece is very important," Love said.

Amazon Pharmacy expands RxPass subscription service to Medicare patients

Amazon Pharmacy is expanding its prescription drug subscription program, called RxPass, to Prime members on Medicare insurance. | The RxPass program, launched in January 2023, provides unlimited access to 60 eligible generic medications and will ship the medications to customers' homes for a...

www.fiercehealthcare.com

They are targeting an orphaned market caused by pharmacy closures, especially family owned businesses.