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How Prime members can now get multiple prescriptions for $5 a month
Amazon is now adding a subscription service including over 50 generic prescription medications.
Prices at the store are soaring and it seems the bottom line keeps going up every time we shop. It's reaching an eternally-moving boiling point, and we're stuck in the heat in the meantime. Homes across the US are suffering the rising costs of food, with little money left over for other essentials like prescriptions, as eight in ten adults saying the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable.
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In response, Amazon has now launched RxPass as part of its Pharmacy services. It's a subscription model exclusive for Prime members that costs a flat $5 per month, with no insurance required. The program includes over 50 of the most commonly-prescribed generic medications to treat more than 80 medical conditions.
This sounds pretty great, right? So, what's the catch? The downside to this service is that not all common medications are available, so it's important to check that your prescriptions are included by searching through all RxPass medications before signing up for the subscription.
How to sign up for Amazon RxPass
1. Log in to your Prime account
Go to the Amazon website or mobile app and sign in to your Prime account or sign up for one.
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2. Go to Amazon Pharmacy
If the Pharmacy option isn't on your homepage as a tab at the top, go to the menu on the left and scroll down until you find Amazon Pharmacy under Programs & Features.
3. Scroll down until you find RxPass
When you find the RxPass banner, you can click on Learn more, which will take you to a page with more information on the subscription program. Click on Get started with RxPass to sign up.
4. Confirm eligibility
Next, you'll be asked a few questions to confirm your eligibility for the RxPass program.
Unfortunately, RxPass isn't available for everyone that may want to sign up. There are restrictions for those using government insurance and it's only available in 42 states.
5. Sign up for Amazon Pharmacy, if you haven't already
I didn't have an Amazon Pharmacy account, so I was prompted to create one in order to register for RxPass.
Filling out this information will give Amazon access to your prescriber to fill your prescriptions, as well as any health conditions and potential drug interactions that a pharmacist should know about.
6. Choose your payment method
This method will be used to charge the monthly $5 subscription fee for RxPass. Choose one of the payment methods saved to your Amazon account, or add a new one, and a billing address.
7. Add your medications
Finish filling out your health information so the pharmacy can have any medications and health conditions on file. This includes adding your medication to your list of prescriptions so you can begin the process of transferring them to RxPass.
8. Begin transferring prescriptions
Once you've found your medication, check that it's included with RxPass. This will determine whether it's worth paying the monthly subscription fee or not.
If your medication is included with RxPass, click on the Transfer Rx to Amazon Pharmacy button. If it's not included with RxPass and you transfer your prescription anyway, you'll have the option to add your insurance to pay for the medication or pay out of pocket.
9. Add your current pharmacy and submit transfer
Next, you'll confirm your prescriber and add the pharmacy where you're currently getting your prescriptions, and then submit the transfer request.
Amazon can contact your local pharmacy to get your prescription transferred to their service instead, and, provided all the information is confirmed, you'll get your prescriptions delivered.
Confirm your prescriber, find your current pharmacy, and submit the request to transfer your prescription.
FAQ
Can you pay for RxPass with an FSA/HSA?
Because the $5 monthly payment for RxPass technically goes toward a subscription service and not to prescriptions directly, it doesn't qualify for FSA or HSA. The RxPass subscription fee is also not eligible to be submitted to your insurance. It's not an insurance plan nor a substitute for one.
Why am I ineligible for RxPass?
RxPass only works in 42 states and is not available for Medicare, Medicaid, or any other government-health-care-enrolled customers. RxPass is unavailable in the states of California, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington.
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If you have a government health care program or live in one of these states, you can still get your prescriptions delivered using Amazon Pharmacy.
Are RxPass prescriptions cheaper than using insurance?
Whether the subscriptions service is worth it to customers or not will depend largely on the individual needs of the subscriber. Personally, only one of my two prescriptions is included in the RxPass service, and I get both of them for $5 a month through my insurance, so I won't be keeping my RxPass subscription.
But if you find your medications among the available generic prescriptions on RxPass and they currently cost you more than $5, it is probably worth using the subscription while you're on those meds. It's also worth noting that RxPass medications are delivered directly to your home, so the convenience of not having to drive to the pharmacy may also make it worth it.