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Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

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Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#51
Does this imply that Amazon will be in the place to negotiate drug prices? Trying to understand what could change given how a lot of PBMs appear to be wed to insurance groups (and now CVS looking to buy Aetna). What would be the next step, buy an insurance company? Or is it a matter of exposing the true cost of drug prices and drive the market costs down?

Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#52
post #15

Just think of all the interesting data they will aggregate!

This is happening with health insurance companies in Singapore. It sets a worrying precedent where patient/doctor confidentiality becomes obsolete. I'm not against my health data being collected anonymously for research purposes but I sure don't want the researcher to be my health insurance company.

Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#53
post #43

If it takes Amazon to fix American healthcare, god bless them. What a total cluster fuck healthcare is, and if that’s what they want to fix, I’m very supportive. Putting $5k into their stock tomorrow

Serious question: How is a cut throat capitalist company gaining the ability to push pills going to fix American healthcare?

American healthcare is completely non-competitive. No pricing competition, high barriers of entry, and completely entrenched players. Any new players would be a win.

Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#54
post #51

Does this imply that Amazon will be in the place to negotiate drug prices? Trying to understand what could change given how a lot of PBMs appear to be wed to insurance groups (and now CVS looking to buy Aetna). What would be the next step, buy an insurance company? Or is it a matter of exposing the true cost of drug prices and drive the market costs down?

I don't think they would be in a position to negotiate prices anymore than CVS/Walgreens are. Their upside would mostly be changing the delivery method.

Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Serious question: How is a cut throat capitalist company gaining the ability to push pills going to fix American healthcare?

American healthcare is completely non-competitive. No pricing competition, high barriers of entry, and completely entrenched players. Any new players would be a win.

The main issue with American healthcare besides the price of drugs, insurance and care (which Amazon could help solve but is essentially a secondary conidition) is the philosophy around healthcare in general. It's all reactive. To solve healthcare America needs a better diet made up of actual food (not psuedo-food products), more exercise (cities designed for walking and biking not driving), doctors that aren't incentivized to sell drugs, no drug adverts etc. Basically to focus on prevention not reaction.

Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Serious question: How is a cut throat capitalist company gaining the ability to push pills going to fix American healthcare?

American healthcare is completely non-competitive. No pricing competition, high barriers of entry, and completely entrenched players. Any new players would be a win.

Plus not throwing up a hundred roadblocks to actually filling a specialty prescription. I've had to go for months before without a medication I have to take for a chronic illness twice a day, delayed endlessly by runarounds. I had to have a doctor send the prescription to three different places, it was shocking that the current system could have so much confusion.

Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#58

Apparently better for consumers in general now that there's more competition. One Industry I really really want them to enter is Consumer Airlines. Service in most airlines sucks, like big time. Can't wait for Amazon Airlines with Prime Video and Internet available for all. But of course I know that's a distant dream unless the Prime Air works great.

> Can't wait for Amazon Airlines with Prime Video and Internet available for all.

It already exists on JetBlue. Prime video is for Prime members and Internet access for everyone.

https://www.jetblue.com/flying-on-jetblue/wifi/

Marketing copy:

> Earn 3 TrueBlue points per $1 spent shopping on Amazon.com. + Redeem those points for your next Award flight. + Enjoy fast, free Fly-Fi brought to you by Amazon. + Stream your favorite movies and TV shows on Amazon Video.

Re: Amazon gains wholesale pharmacy licenses in multiple states

#60
post #13

They're coming for you too CVS and Walgreens.

That’s why CVS is trying to buy Aetna. They’re going to be everything from your insurer, to your walk in clinic to your pharmacy. Maybe they’ll buy a hospital chain and go full stack.

so Kaiser Permanente, basically
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