Tech

Amazon is now selling prescription drugs, and Prime members can get massive discounts if they pay without insurance

Read in app

Jeff bezos

Amazon will deliver prescription medications to its US customers starting Tuesday with the launch of its Amazon Pharmacy service.

Amazon said Prime members would be eligible for two-day delivery of medications and price cuts on both generic and brand-name drugs.

Amazon said Pharmacy customers could type their insurance information and select payment options in a "pharmacy profile." Customers will be able to buy drugs through Amazon's main website.

Prime members can get discounts of up to 80% on generic drugs and 40% on brand-name medications when paying without insurance, Amazon said.

Amazon said it would also show comparisons to highlight whether it's cheaper for customers to pay through insurance or to rely on the company's discounts.

Patients can ask their doctors to send prescriptions straight to Amazon Pharmacy, Amazon said.

This is Amazon's latest push into healthcare. The company bought a small drug-delivery startup called PillPack in 2018. In June 2019, Amazon launched a brand of over-the-counter medications, and in August it launched a health-monitoring wristband called Halo.

Read more: The 7 ways Amazon is building a healthcare empire, and why one analyst thinks doctors visits are next

"As more and more people look to complete everyday errands from home, pharmacy is an important and needed addition to the Amazon online store," Doug Herrington, Amazon's senior vice president of North American consumer, said in a statement.

"PillPack has provided exceptional pharmacy service for individuals with chronic health conditions for over six years. Now, we're expanding our pharmacy offering to Amazon.com, which will help more customers save time, save money, simplify their lives, and feel healthier," he added.

Read next

Isobel (she/her) was a senior tech reporter at Business Insider. She was particularly interested in Big Tech, privacy, and worker's rights. You can read some of her previous work here: The quest to find $181 million in bitcoin buried in a dump Exclusive: Amazon targeted military spouses in a pandemic recruitment drive. 2 of them say they ended up being paid 33% less than non-military coworkers. Exclusive: Amazon plans a pay cut of up to 23% for hourly workers who guide trucks in and out of its UK delivery stations Exclusive: Tesla's solar division asks employees to scour social media for complaints about both the company and Elon Musk, trying to get customers to delete their posts, former employees say A couple says their Tesla Solar panels caused relentless leaks that led to mold 10 times the healthy limit, $115,000 in damages, and a long-running legal battle Ghosted by Tesla: Customers say Tesla's ultrasleek, expensive Solar Roofs and panels come with nightmare customer service, often leaving them with unanswered calls and emails for months on end Amazon workers leading a historic push for unionization in Alabama describe midnight 'education' meetings, an unexpected mailbox, and streams of anti-union flyers as they go up against one of the world's most powerful companies 'It's a slap in the face': Amazon is handing out 'Thank you' t-shirts to warehouse workers as it cuts their hazard pay Investigation: Amazon warehouse employees speak out about the 'brutal' reality of working during the holidays, when 60-hour weeks are mandatory and ambulance calls are common The science behind Elon Musk's brain-chip company Neuralink Investigation: Instagram's new TV service recommended videos of potential child abuse