We’ve always been obsessed with making our customers’ lives easier, and for too long, one aspect of their lives—going to the pharmacy—has been inconvenient, and often expensive.
That’s why we launched Amazon Pharmacy in November 2020: to reduce the barriers that prevent people from receiving the medication they need. As a full-service online pharmacy, Amazon Pharmacy provides a wide variety of medications at affordable prices to customers across the country, whether they have insurance or not. And with 24/7 access to licensed pharmacists, Amazon Pharmacy proves that customer-centric shopping experiences can apply even to getting your medication.
Learn all about Amazon Pharmacy below, along with frequently asked questions about how to use it and why it might be right for you.
How to use Amazon Pharmacy
You can access Amazon Pharmacy via Amazon.com and the app. From there, you can search for medications, create a profile, transfer your prescriptions, and more.
To find your medication, search the name directly on Amazon Pharmacy or shop by condition. You’ll see the cash price, whether it requires a prescription, whether it’s eligible for free Prime shipping, and whether it’s FSA or HSA eligible. You can also read more about the medication, including how to use it, possible side effects, and interactions.
After you create a new customer profile and your prescription info is validated, you can check out your Pharmacy cart. There are a handful of payment options, including paying with your insurance or seeing if there are any Prime member discounts that you can apply to your order, including signing up for RxPass (Amazon’s $5-a-month subscription for generic prescriptions; more on that below).
Your medication is delivered directly to your address. Prime members receive free 2-day shipping. All other customers receive free 4-5 day standard shipping, or you can upgrade to 2-day shipping for $5.99.
Your future refills are also managed through Amazon Pharmacy. For eligible prescriptions, you can turn on automatic refills, so you don’t have to worry about reordering before you run out.
How to send your prescription to Amazon Pharmacy
To verify your prescription, you can either ask your prescriber to send the prescription directly to Amazon Pharmacy via escribe, or request that Amazon Pharmacy reach out to the prescriber.
Once we have your prescription on file, our pharmacists will review it. This process normally takes about 24 hours. Once it’s approved, we’ll notify you so you can place your order.
What kind of medications are available on Amazon Pharmacy?
Amazon Pharmacy carries a large range of medications for common uses such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, depression, anxiety, birth control, and more. It’s also easy to identify generic versus name-brand items.
Some medications such as medical devices, schedule II drugs, suspensions, vaccines, and other specialty medications are not available through Amazon Pharmacy.
What is RxPass and how does it work?
RxPass is a new Prime membership benefit that provides customers with access to over 80 eligible generic medications for a flat $5 monthly fee. It’s currently available in 42 states and unavailable to California, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington (customers in these states can still use Amazon Pharmacy).
To see whether your medication is eligible, just look for the Included with RxPass label on the product page.
No insurance is needed with RxPass, which means no deductibles or copays. If you currently use one or more eligible medications a month that cost more than $5, then it’s worth checking out RxPass.
Where does Amazon Pharmacy deliver to?
Amazon Pharmacy is proud to deliver to all 50 U.S. states, including the District of Columbia. Whether you’re physically unable to visit a traditional pharmacy, there isn’t a pharmacy nearby, or you just want to skip waiting in line, Amazon is here to make getting your medication easier.
Is Amazon Pharmacy free for Prime members?
Medications are not free; however, Prime members enjoy savings with free 2-day shipping, everyday low prices on medications, and the option to sign up for the $5-a-month RxPass subscription.
In addition, Prime members can get discounts up to 80% off generic and 40% off brand-name medications at more than 60,000 participating pharmacies nationwide, including Amazon Pharmacy and the PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy service.
You do not have to be a Prime member to get your medications from Amazon Pharmacy, though.
What insurance does Amazon Pharmacy accept?
Amazon Pharmacy accepts most insurance plans. To check, visit the page of the medication you’re interested in, and for active prescriptions eligible for refill, select Check Insurance Price and provide your insurance information. We accept multiple insurance plans if you are covered by more than one.
Your copay is determined by your insurance plan, not Amazon. We’ll show your copay price with insurance and the price without insurance before you checkout, so you can always choose the best option. You’ll also see eligible Prime discounts and coupons that you can apply to your order at checkout.
Is Amazon Pharmacy cheaper than other pharmacies?
Amazon Pharmacy offers competitive and transparent pricing on its medications. And, Prime members can save up to 80% off generic and 40% off brand-name medications when they pay without insurance.
How does Amazon Pharmacy protect your health data privacy?
Amazon Pharmacy is committed to protecting your privacy and takes your Protected Health Information (PHI) seriously. Amazon Pharmacy is governed by HIPAA in how it uses and discloses PHI, including information like medication history, medical conditions, and health insurance information. For more, read the privacy notice.
Can you still use a traditional pharmacy in addition to Amazon Pharmacy?
Yes! We encourage you to use Amazon Pharmacy to fit your needs. That may mean getting your regular medications delivered to your door by Amazon, and visiting your local pharmacy for urgent, time-sensitive, and/or specialty medication.
Visit Amazon Pharmacy today to see how we can help you fill and manage your prescriptions and learn more about the service.
