Amazon is once again expanding its areas of business with the launch of Amazon Pharmacy, a new section on its platform where customers can buy prescription medication. Customers can have prescriptions sent directly to Amazon for fulfillment, or even have Amazon request a prescription on their behalf.
Users can also provide their insurance information, and Amazon says it works with "most" insurance providers. If a certain medication isn't covered by your insurance or if you don't want it to count towards your deductible, Amazon is also launching discounts for Prime members, offering up to 40% off brand-name medication, or up to 80% for generic medication when paying without insurance. The discounts are not only available when buying on Amazon Pharmacy, but also at 50,000 pharmacies across the United States. Of course, Prime members also get free two-day delivery, just as they would on other Amazon products.
While Amazon Pharmacy should cover many chronic and acute ailments, certain healthcare products aren't available on the service. These include breast pumps, diabetic testing and administration supplies (such as test strips and needles), pet prescriptions, and more. It also doesn't include vitamins and other over-the-counter products.
If you're worried about privacy, private health information is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in the United States, and data should only be used without explicit consent for treatment, payment, and other healthcare operations. Data may also be disclosed to Amazon's business associates, parents or guardians of children, and other entities authorized by law. You can learn more about how this data is used on this page, by scrolling down to the Notice of Privacy Practices near the bottom.
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