Money expert Clark Howard thinks Amazon Pharmacy will give consumers more choices at affordable price points.
"What Amazon is offering is more transparent pricing and the ability to order online and have the meds delivered to you," Clark says. "They will have a huge effect on how people fill meds and bring more pricing competition to a marketplace that has certainly needed it."
7 Things to Know About Amazon Pharmacy
Amazon says the service works best for adults who fill at least one prescription regularly.
As a Prime member, I signed up for Amazon Pharmacy to see how it works. Here are seven things I’ve learned about the service.
1. What Is Amazon Pharmacy and How Does It Work?
Amazon Pharmacy is a medications fulfillment program from the world’s largest online retailer.
The company says it works with many insurance companies, and you have the option of entering your insurance information or having Amazon look it up for you. You can also use the service without insurance.
Here’s how the program works:
- Sign up at Pharmacy.Amazon.com and create a pharmacy profile. You'll then be asked to input some basic medical information and a list of medications you're currently taking.
- Request your generic or brand-name prescription(s) from a dropdown menu.
- Contact your doctor or have Amazon do it for you.
- Place your order. Amazon Pharmacy will send you a notification when your order has been approved and it's time to check out.
2. What Are Some Key Features of Amazon Pharmacy?
- Free two-day delivery of prescription medications for Prime members
- Up to 80% savings over list prices for generic medications and up to 40% off brand names when paying without insurance
- The choice between branded and generic versions
- Pharmacists on staff reachable 24/7 at 855-745-5725
3. Is Amazon Pharmacy Available to Everyone?
Amazon Pharmacy is available for all customers. Prime members get two-day delivery and access to savings when paying without insurance, with the new Amazon Prime prescription savings benefit].
If you’re not a Prime member, you can get free delivery of medications in four to five days, and if you want two-day delivery, it will cost you $5.99 per shipment.
4. Where Is Amazon Pharmacy Available?
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
5. What Pharmacies Accept the Amazon Prime Prescription Savings Card?
The Amazon Prime prescription savings benefit can be used at over 50,000 pharmacies across the United States, including Amazon Pharmacy, which is available in most states. Some of the major pharmacy chains that Prime members can use their prescription savings card include:
- Costco
- Kroger
- Rite-Aid
- Walgreens
- Walmart
Amazon says if you don’t see your local pharmacy on the list, you can call your pharmacy to see if it will participate in the program.
6. What Are the Limitations of Amazon Pharmacy?
Before you go out and process all your medications through Amazon Pharmacy, you should know that there are some limitations to the program including:
- It can take up to four days for the initial processing of your prescription(s).
- Some medications aren't available. See the list here.
- Amazon Pharmacy does 30-day refills. 90-day fills are not available at this time.
- Some medications have discount restrictions. See this list for more information.
7. How Does Amazon Pharmacy Differ From PillPack?
The new Amazon Pharmacy program and Amazon PillPack are geared toward different audiences.
PillPack is a monthly delivery service that schedules the shipping and refills of your medication. PillPack also sorts and packages your medication by date and time.
The service is free. Of course, you do pay for your medications. For clarity, PillPack is designed for customers who take multiple daily medications.
In contrast, Amazon Pharmacy is available for all customers. Prime members get free two-day delivery.
Final Thoughts
By making medication refills as simple as online shopping, Amazon is signaling a major push into the U.S. prescription drug market. But is Amazon Pharmacy worth it for you?
To get the two-day free delivery benefit, you’ll need to sign up for Prime, which currently costs $119 a year. So you’ll have to do the math yourself to see if the program makes sense when you factor in insurance benefits and the Prime subscription cost.
Interested in cutting the costs of your medications? Use this guide to save money on prescription drugs.
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