STUDENTS, GUYS.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT, EVA.
>>> WE'RE GOING TO TURN NOW TO
THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FROM AMAZON
THIS MORNING THAT CAN HELP YOU
SAVE ON GENERIC PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATION.
CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT
REBECCA JARVIS IS HERE WITH THE
DETAILS, GOOD MORNING, REBECCA.
>> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, TO
YOU, MICHAEL.
FAMILIES SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON
THESE MEDICATIONS SO IMAGINE
THIS, A $5 A MONTH PLAN TO FILL
AS MANY PRESCRIPTIONS AS YOU
NEED FROM A LIST OF ABOUT 50
GENERICS THAT INCLUDES DRUGS
LIKE ANTI-ANXIETY AND
ANTIBIOTICSES, YOU NO LONGER
HAVE TO IMAGINE IT.
AMAZON ANNOUNCING RXPASS.
A NEW BENEFIT FOR THE 200
MILLION PRIME MEMBERS.
FOR $5 A MONTH THE PHARMACY
OFFERING UNLIMITED PRESCRIPTION
MEDICATIONS DELIVERED FREE TO
YOUR DOOR.
AVAILABLE STARTING TODAY, THE
SERVICE GIVES USERS ACCESS TO
OVER 50 GENERIC MEDICATIONS
TREATING MORE THAN 80 OF THE
MOST COMMON HEALTH CONDITIONS
INCLUDING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,
ANXIETY AND ACID REFLUX, NO
INSURANCE NEEDED.
>> ACCORDING TO THE FDA THERE
ARE THOUSANDS OF ONLINE
PHARMACIES AND THE SPACE IS ONLY
GROWING.
SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE COMPANIES
LIKE AMAZON PUT FORWARD PROJECTS
LIKE RXPASS TO FURTHER ADD
COMPETITION IN THE SPACE AND
MAKE GETTING GENERIC MEDICATIONS
CONVENIENT AND AFFORDABLE.
>> Reporter: OTHER ONLINE
PHARMACIES OFFER DISCOUNTS ON
PRESCRIPTIONS OR FREE DELIVERY.
BUT RXPASS DIFFERS BY OFFERING A
FLAT RATE FOR AN UNLIMITED
AMOUNT OF PRESCRIPTIONS AS LONG
AS THEY CARRY WHAT YOU NEED.
AND WHILE THE BENEFIT WILL BE AN
ADDITIONAL ADD-ON OPTION TO A
USER'S CURRENT PRIME
SUBSCRIPTION WHICH COSTS $14.99
A MONTH IT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE
TO THOSE ENROLLED IN MEDICARE,
MEDICAID OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT
HEALTH CARE PROGRAM.
AMAZON SAYS THOSE CUSTOMERS CAN
STILL USE THEIR GOVERNMENT
INSURANCE TO FILL PRESCRIPTIONS
AT AMAZON PHARMACY.
>> I ENCOURAGE MY PATIENTS TO GO
ONLINE AND PRICE SHOP TO FIND
THE CHEAPEST PRICE FOR THEIR
PRESCRIPTION MEDS.
IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT
ONLINE PHARMACIES AND WHETHER OR
NOT THEY'RE REPUTABLE OR SAFE
IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHECK THE FDA
TO LOOK TO SEE IF IT IS A
LEGITIMATE ONLINE PHARMACY.
WITH RXPASS IT IS REASSURING TO
SEE A PRESCRIPTION IS REQUIRED
BUT ALSO MORN FOR PATIENTS TO
UNDERSTAND THAT NOT ALL GENERIC
MEDICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE
AND IF PEOPLE DO HAVE TROUBLE
AFFORDING THEIR MEDICATION IT'S
STILL IMPORTANT TO CHAT WITH A
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL
DIRECTLY.
>> Reporter: VERY IMPORTANT
ADVICE FROM DR. PATEL.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
YOU CAN PRICE SHOP AROUND.
AMAZON PRIME COSTS ABOUT $139 A
YEAR.
SO YOU CAN FIGURE OUT IF IT
MAKES SENSE BY ADDING THAT EXTRA
$5 FOR YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS, THAT
WORKS OUT TO ABOUT $60 IN
ADDITION TO YOUR PRIME
MEMBERSHIP A YEAR, MICHAEL.
>> REBECCA, COULD AMAZON LOWER
PRICES ACROSS THE BOARD?
>> Reporter: THAT IS CERTAINLY
THE HOPE FOR FAMILIES AND IT
SHOULD BECAUSE IT IS A POSITIVE.
ANALYSTS AREN'T SURE, THOUGH,
WHETHER IT WILL ULTIMATELY
EXPAND ACCESS TO LOWER COST
DRUGS TO A NEW SET OF PATIENTS
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THIS REQUIRES
A PRIME MEMBERSHIP.
THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES RIGHT
NOW LIKE CAPSULE, MARK CUBAN HAS
HIS OWN COST PLUS DRUG COMPANY
THAT ALSO SELLS GENERIC DRUGS.
MANY OF THEM FOR UNDER $5.
I THINK THE GOOD NEWS HERE,
MICHAEL, IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
ARE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS SPACE
AND MAKE THIS MORE AFFORDABLE
FOR FAMILIES WHO REALLY FEEL THE
WEIGHT OF THOSE MEDICATION
COSTS.
>> I