Access to affordable medication is becoming an increasingly urgent issue in the U.S. Millions of Americans live far away from a pharmacy, and nearly half of the population is managing at least one chronic illness.
Amazon is taking the initiative on this issue by expanding its prescription subscription service to another state, aiming to make health care more accessible to an entire market.
The company announced that RxPass, its $5 monthly prescription service for Prime members, is now available in Texas, marking the 48th state to join the program.
The service is part of Amazon Pharmacy, which launched in 2020 to allow customers to order prescriptions online and have them delivered in as little as two days.
According to the National Library of Medicine, 4.7% of the U.S. population lives far away from a pharmacy. Although this percentage might seem small, that’s 15.8 million people who lack convenient access.
Texas ranks fourth in the nation for adults living with three or more chronic conditions, according to KFF. This makes it a key market for Amazon’s health care expansion.
“At a time when nearly half of the U.S. population is managing chronic conditions, bringing affordable and convenient access to medications through our expansion of RxPass to customers in 48 U.S. states will help many manage their conditions more easily,” said Amazon Pharmacy VP John Love in a press release.
“Amazon Pharmacy will continue to leverage Amazon’s customer-obsessed approach and extensive delivery network infrastructure to ensure customers enjoy the ease and convenience of managing their health through fast medication delivery.”
Image source: Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images
What to know about Amazon’s RxPass and its benefits
RxPass is Amazon (AMZN) Pharmacy’s $5 monthly medication subscription for Prime members.
What RxPass offers:
- Access to over 50 common generic medications for chronic conditions
- Free two-day shipping, with same-day delivery in eligible locations
- Manufacturer coupons automatically applied at checkout on eligible medications
- 24/7 access to licensed pharmacists
- Potential savings of up to 80% on generic and 40% on brand-name medications
- Savings of $70 annually on eligible prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries
Unlike traditional plans, RxPass doesn’t rely on insurance, eliminating extra copays or coverage restrictions.
Amazon’s RxPass expansion addresses growing chronic illness concerns
Chronic illness is a growing concern, with around 133 million Americans living with at least one chronic condition, a number projected to rise to 170 million by 2030, according to Health of Life.
With 91% of U.S. adults relying on prescriptions, affordable access is more critical than ever.
Amazon remains a smaller player in the sector compared to giant rivals such as CVS (CVS) , Walgreens (WBA) , and Walmart (WMT) , which have built massive health care empires over the decades.
However, with its prominent e-commerce presence, logistics network, and subscription model, Amazon is positioning itself as a fast-growing challenger in the pharmacy space.
Although Amazon does not break out pharmacy revenue, its North American net sales increased 11% in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, surpassing $100 billion. With the expansion of RxPass, the company’s health care platform is set to grow even larger.
Related: Walmart forms bold new health care partnership for affordable medicine
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