Amazon Pharmacy has teamed up with Blue Plans to offer prescription medicine options in New Jersey, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida and Kansas.
The partnership is a big move for Amazon, which has been advancing in the healthcare space over the past several years. Amazon’s retail pharmacy will offer its MedsYourWay prescription discount savings card to Blue plan members.
The plans that are part of the partnership include Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Florida Blue, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
Amazon will integrate the card, which is administered by InsideRx, so Amazon Pharmacy customers can view their co-pay or discount price upfront and set these eligible medication purchases to their insurance plan's out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles.
"For example, when they go to checkout, at that checkout screen they'll see the discount card price and the insurance price. They can be free to choose whatever's cheapest and not have to worry about what applies to their out-of-pocket maximum or the deductible because both apply," Amazon Pharmacy Chief Medical Officer Nworah Ayogu, MD, said during a session at ViVe healthcare conference. "And those customers will get the free, fast shipping because of this partnership. So it will be more convenient, more affordable and simpler."
Amazon has been seeking new ways to lower prescription drug costs, including introducing an online pricing tool that allows customers to compare savings at Amazon Pharmacy and other pharmacies that accept the Prime savings card. Amazon boasts that its Prime prescription savings benefit saves members up to 80% off generic medications and 40% off brand-name medications when customers pay without insurance. The e-commerce giant began its foray into prescription medicine after acquiring PillPack for an estimated $1 billion.
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Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."