Amazon Pharmacy is scooping up payer contracts

Amazon's online pharmacy is continuing to attract the attention of payers across the country.

Starting next year, Amazon Pharmacy will become the exclusive home prescription delivery service for over 2 million Florida Blue members.

"By selecting Amazon Pharmacy as our exclusive home delivery provider, we aim to provide our members with a more cost effective and simplified way to get the medications they need to support their health," Chuck Divita, Florida Blue executive vice president of commercial markets, said.

On Oct. 3, Centene said Amazon will be a preferred retail pharmacy provider for 1.5 million Medicare Advantage members in 2023.

The retail giant first launched its pharmacy business in 2020, allowing patients to enter their health plan information and manage their prescriptions online. Amazon Prime members receive free two-day delivery for medications and up to 80 percent off the cost of generic drugs, along with 40 percent off brand-name drugs when paying out-of-pocket. 

In March, Amazon Pharmacy began offering the MedsYourWay prescription discount savings card from Prime Therapeutics to BCBS affiliate members in New Jersey, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Minnesota and North Carolina. The card is administered by InsideRx and allows members to compare their co-pay or discount price up front so they can apply eligible medication purchases to their plan's out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles.

In addition, BCBS North Carolina has designated the pharmacy as a new option for its mail order drug program under some plans. 

In late 2019, BCBS Massachusetts became the first payer to directly integrate with PillPack, an Amazon Pharmacy subsidiary. PillPack allows users to order, pay for, track and get their prescriptions automatically delivered to their home for no fee.

The two organizations developed a digital solution for members with multiple prescriptions to switch to PillPack within the MyBlue member app or website. The program is available to fully insured members who are taking multiple medications.


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