Amazon Pharmacy will provide low-cost prescription drugs

Amazon Pharmacy provides lower cost prescription drugs in five states through a new partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield.
The Verge reports that the retail giant’s pharmacy wing is offering a prescription drug discount card to Blue Cross Blue Shield customers in New Jersey, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida and Kansas. The partnership will allow customers to get discounts through a MedsYourWay card when using Amazon Pharmacy. Also, the cost of medications will still count towards insurance deductibles.
“They can be free to choose which is cheaper and not have to worry about what applies to their maximum disbursement or deductible, because both apply,” Nworah AyoguAmazon Pharmacy’s chief medical officer, said at a health technology conference this week.
While most prescription discount cards work in a pharmacy network, customers will be able to use the MedsYourWay card at Amazon pharmacies. MedsYourWay is offered by pharmacy benefit manager Prime Therapeutics, owned by more than a dozen BlueCross Blue Shield health plans.
Amazon Pharmacy debuted in 2020, two years after buying drug delivery startup Pillpack, offering discounted costs on common prescription drugs and drugs based on their manufacturing cost.
Others are getting into the prescription drug game, including Dallas Mavericks owner and Shark Tank investor Marc Cubanwhich launched its online pharmacy The Cost Plus Drug Co. in January.
“I want to be above the break-even point while maximizing the number of people who can afford their drugs,” Cuban told TechCrunch. “Shoot. I would be happy if we could earn a little, but bring down the prices of generics sold elsewhere considerably.”
According to BioSpace, prescription drugs have seen their prices increase by 3.3% in 2021 and 5.8% in 2020. This year, Pfizer, Purdue Pharma and Gilead have all increased the prices of drugs for HIV, cancer breast cancer, cardiovascular problems and opioids. .