Epic Brings Prescription Price Comparisons Into Doctors’ Offices

Epic Partners With Amazon Pharmacy, LillyDirect, and Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs on Pricing Tool

Epic Partners With Amazon Pharmacy, LillyDirect, and Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs on Pricing Tool

The tool is scheduled to launch in summer 2027 across health systems using Epic’s electronic health record (EHR) platform.

Epic is partnering with Amazon Pharmacy, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs, Costco and Eli Lilly’s LillyDirect to develop a prescription drug pricing marketplace that will allow patients and clinicians to compare medication costs before prescriptions are sent. The tool is scheduled to launch in summer 2027 across health systems using Epic’s electronic health record (EHR) platform.

The marketplace will display patients’ out-of-pocket costs through insurance alongside cash prices offered by pharmacies, helping clinicians and patients evaluate available options during the prescribing process. According to Epic, paying cash can sometimes cost less than using insurance, depending on the medication, insurance plan and pharmacy.

Epic said any pharmacy will be able to share its cash prices with health systems using the platform. The integration is intended to help patients identify lower-cost options before leaving the doctor’s office, rather than discovering price differences at the pharmacy counter.

More than 40% of American adults report not taking their medications as prescribed because of cost, according to a KFF survey. Epic already offers a real-time prescription benefit feature that shows clinicians patients’ expected insurance costs and available generic alternatives. The company said the feature helped patients save more than $250 million in 2025.

Amazon Pharmacy has worked with Epic since early 2025 to help develop the marketplace. Tanvi Patel, vice president and general manager of Amazon Pharmacy, said patients should be able to compare costs, choose between insurance and cash payments, and select convenient prescription fulfillment options, including home delivery and pickup at Amazon Pharmacy kiosks where available.

Mark Cuban, co-founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs, said patients should be informed when the same medication is available at a lower cash price than their insurance copayment. Costco also highlighted the potential to reduce prescription abandonment and close care gaps by providing clearer pricing information at the point of care.

Jen Mazur, general manager of U.S. LillyDirect at Eli Lilly and Company, said greater visibility into pharmacy options and costs could simplify prescription access for patients and healthcare providers.

The initiative comes as pharmaceutical companies, retailers and pharmacies expand direct-to-consumer prescription models. LillyDirect, launched in early 2024, connects patients with telehealth consultations and manufacturer-direct medication access, while Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs offers medicines through a transparent online pricing model. Amazon Pharmacy has also expanded its savings programs, including RxPass and Prime Rx.

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