Should You Sign Up for Amazon’s $5 a Month Prescription Plan?

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It could be a big money saver. 

You’ve really got to hand it to Amazon — the retail giant has come a long way since starting off as an online bookseller. These days, you can order just about anything through Amazon, from clothes to furniture to electronics. You can even order prescription medications through Amazon Pharmacy. And now, Amazon has launched a new program that could result in a lower credit card tab the next time you need to refill a prescription for a generic drug.

Introducing Amazon RxPass

Amazon’s new RxPass program is an add-on to Amazon Prime. It’s not available in every state, though, so you’ll need to see if yours is on the list. But if it is, then it pays to look at the list of drugs offered through the program. If medications you take are available through RxPass, then it could pay to sign up.

Amazon’s RxPass program costs just $5 a month. And for that single fee, you can receive all of your medications if they’re on Amazon’s list. Delivery of those medications is also free.

Will RxPass benefit you?

If you currently spend more than $5 a month on the generic medications you take, and RxPass offers them, then signing up could save you a nice amount of money. But if your medications aren’t on the list, then the program won’t do you any good. Similarly, if the medications you take aren’t available in generic form, they won’t be available through RxPass.

It’s also worth noting that RxPass needs to be coupled with an existing Amazon Prime membership. And one of those costs $139 a year. So if you’re not already paying for Prime, you’ll need to factor in that added cost to see if you’ll end up reaping savings.

If, for example, you currently spend $15 a month on a medication that Amazon has available for $5 through RxPass, you could save yourself $10 every month — that is, unless you now have to sign up for Amazon Prime. If you do, you’ll wipe out that savings (though you’ll also get to enjoy the benefits of Amazon Prime, like free two-day shipping on orders of any amount and access to different streaming content).

Of course, even if RxPass doesn’t save you money per se — because maybe you’re already only paying $5 a month for your medications — there’s also the benefit of not having to go to the pharmacy every few weeks to pick up your pills. With RxPass, you’ll have your medications delivered to your door, saving you time and gas money.

If you’re interested in signing up for RxPass, just log into your Amazon account and follow the directions. You’ll need to go through some steps to verify your eligibility and prescription information.

A good way to spend less

Healthcare expenses can make a huge dent in your budget. With RxPass, you might manage to lower your costs and bank more money in your savings account. So it pays to consider signing up if the medications you take are offered under the program.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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