Amazon launches RX Pass, a $5 per month drug subscription service for Prime members

Retail giant Amazon is starting 2023 with a new offering for its Prime members, RxPass, which is designed to lower prescription prices and keep funds in the wallets of its members. Amazon’s new subscription service lets Prime members purchase multiple drugs for a flat fee of $5 a month. Members will have access to prescription generic drugs for more than 80 health conditions. To participate with this service, customers must be members of Amazon’s $139-a-year Prime service.

Amazon said its new generic delivery program targets customers who take multiple prescriptions to manage chronic conditions and pay out-of-pocket costs for their medications.Some of the generic drugs included in the program include Bupropion, Cephalexin, Doxycycline, Estradiol and Sertaline. The program’s web page lists a menu of 53 available medications.

Amazon has been growing its healthcare business for years in its efforts to become a force in the healthcare industry. This new service is its latest offering for the Seattle-based company after purchasing mail-order pharmacy PillPack in 2018.

The program is available in most U.S. states but for now excludes a number of heavily populated ones, including California, Pennsylvania and Texas. Customers who are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, or any other government health care program will not be able to sign up for the benefit.

Health care analysts and economists say the program is likely to save customers money on low-cost generic drugs but won’t impact prices for more expensive brand-name drugs.