Amazon launches $5 RxPass subscription for Prime members

Amazon launched RxPass on 24 January, offering eligible US Prime members a selection of generic prescription medicines for $5 a month, including delivery. The fee is additional to Prime, whose standard US price is $14.99 monthly or $139 annually.

Amazon premises in Shakopee, 2017. Photo © Tony Webster (2018), “Amazon Fulfillment and Trucks Sign – Shipping Center in Shakopee, Minnesota” (2017). CC BY 2.0. Resized; responsive crops.

Amazon says the medicines treat more than 80 common conditions. The subscription covers eligible prescriptions, rather than every drug sold by Amazon Pharmacy.

The Associated Press reports that the launch covers about 50 generic medicines and reaches 42 states and Washington, DC. Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries are excluded, and purchases don’t use insurance.

According to AJMC’s launch-day report, RxPass is unavailable in California, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. Health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts can’t pay the subscription fee.

Savings depend on the customer’s prescriptions and existing costs. AP notes that Amazon already sells some generics for as little as $1 for a 30-day supply. The monthly subscription therefore doesn’t guarantee a lower bill for everyone.